It Just Happened
by eternalasucaga
Summary: They were just two people who both happen to be unlucky in love. They met, had a one night stand, and it led to so much more.
1. Heartbroken

**[Edited 20130727]** Hey guys! Decided to finally be a good author and proof read my work, since I actually read it and noticed that it had a lot of typos and what not.

A/N: This just popped out of my head while I was waiting for my brother to get out of the computer. I hope it's good!

Summary: They were just two people who both happen to be unlucky in love. They met, had a one night stand, and it led to so much more.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny. So sad!

It Just Happened

Chapter One: Heartbroken

-o0o-

"Why?" His voice came off as desperate as it could possibly sound. In front of him was the love of his life in this secluded street, kissing another guy.

"Athrun!" The woman, caught red-handed, instinctively pushed the other guy away from her and was on the verge of tears. "I can explain!"

"I just saw everything with my own eyes. You don't need to explain." The sweetness of his voice, which she always loved, disappeared. His tone was now so cold. She never heard him speak to her like that ever. He started to turn around and walk away from this scene. He wanted to be far from here as possible.

"Dude, hey! At least let her explain!" The guy who caused the trouble held on to Athrun's shoulder, preventing him from leaving.

Rage rushed to his entire body with that sudden contact. The very man that he wanted the ground to swallow alive was actually pleading him to listen to their lies? His vision was starting to blur as he turned to face the two of them. "Don't touch me!" It seemed that his fist moved on its own, as he found it implanted on the man's face just moments later.

"Auel!"

The man landed to the ground with a large thud, leaving red-headed girl to run to his aid and ask him if he was alright. Auel, as she called out to him a while ago, gave her a nod to tell her that he was all right.

This broke his heart even more. Why was he even watching this?

He finally was able to turn away from her. But she was stubborn as she ran to him and caught his shoulder. "Wait, Athrun!" It was now her turn to sound desperate. "Please don't get mad at me! In truth, that was only a goodbye kiss." Words were now carelessly leaving her mouth.

He wanted to laugh at everything that she was saying to him. He wasn't that stupid to think that she wasn't lying to him. That was how she was. She would always lie during the times like these, even when she's already caught guilty.

"A goodbye kiss, you say?" He couldn't even believe that he was even here, listening to her lies. "That 'goodbye' you're talking about, it's a goodbye to our relationship."

Horror was evident in her face when he said that. "No-no! Don't break up with me! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Tears were now flowing from her eyes freely. "I really didn't mean to! You went to Malaysia for almost a month and I was really lonely that I wasn't able to be with you! I thought you were already with another woman. And he…" She paused to look at the guy on the ground, wiping blood on his mouth. "He was there for me!"

He was getting really angry. For a moment she was begging him not to leave her, seconds later, it seemed like she was making it sound like it was his fault that she cheated, that he was the bad guy and she did nothing wrong.

"Meyrin, that was just a business trip for Pete's sake! I kept calling you didn't I?!" He shouted back. He was losing his cool. "You should have told me that you were! I would have gone back home immediately or bring you with me if you just told me."

"That's why I said I'm sorry!" She grabbed a hold of his arm and refused to let him go. "You know that you're the one I love!"

He was silent at this. He wanted to forgive her, but this was the second time.

"Athrun I love you. I love you. I love you." Her arms held him tight as she sobbed continuously.

A part of him wanted to hug her and wipe her tears.

But another part of him didn't have the heart to give her another chance. The more that he thought about it, he didn't want to be in this kind of relationship anymore. Whatever love he had left for her, it was too small to even make him reconsider.

"Let go." His refused to listen to her further, his voice becoming cold and indifferent all the while.

"Don't Athrun. Please."

"Let go."

But she didn't. She refused to let go.

"I said let go!" Athrun managed to break free from her grasp; she wasn't really strong enough to begin with.

"Athrun please!" She let her body drop to the floor and cried like crazy.

He turned to her one last time, his eyes filled with sadness. "You did this to me once, and I forgave you. But you did it again… You were my only one and you broke my heart, again." He said, emphasizing the 'were'.

He looked up to the dark grey sky so that his tears wouldn't fall. Inhaling deeply, he finally had the strength to walk away. "Goodbye Meyrin." He left her to the comfort of that guy that he wanted to punch senselessly.

-o0o-

"Let's break up."

"What?" Her amber eyes widened with confusion. She didn't know if she was just hearing him wrong, or he was just joking with her.

"You heard me." He responded, without any hint of hesitation. "I'm breaking up with you."

"Why?" She couldn't believe this. He was really serious? But they just had a nice date yesterday! They even kissed when he drove her home! And now he was breaking up with her? She desperately tried to reason out with him. "Why Shinn? Did I do something to make you mad?"

"You didn't do anything, really." He refused to even look at her, which hurt her more.

"Then why?" She felt her eyes filling up with her tears.

"I'm seeing someone else." He bluntly said, his face remained apathetic. "So yeah… That's why I want to break up with you, so we can be an official couple."

Everything around her started to spin. It suddenly became harder for her to breath and to see straight.

"Since when did you start seeing that girl?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but it was demanding for an answer.

"About a year." Seconds later, a loud slap was heard. It was her palm, making contact with his cheek.

"How could you do this to me?" She didn't stop the tears from falling down her face. She was devastated and she wanted to slap him again and again, if she could.

"I'm sorry Cagalli." The look on his face contrasted with his apology. It didn't seem like he was sorry at all. In fact, he was glad that he finally got to break up with her.

With that, she gave him another slap on the cheek and ran away. She didn't know where her feet was going to take her, but she was certain that she didn't want to be anywhere near Shinn.

-o0o-

It just so happened that when her feet gave up on her, she ended up in front of a bar that she saw for the first time. She looked around and was foreign to the surroundings. _Now where exactly am I?_ She thought to herself.

Shifting her attention back to the bar, it didn't look special or exciting at all. Rather, it looked especially dull, unlike the others bars that she had been to.

Its name, _FUN Bar _was the exact opposite of what it looked like, boring and solitary. It seemed like the letter 'N' was busted, so one could mistakenly read it as FU Bar. _FU Bar as in 'Fuck you' Bar?_ She almost laughed at the joke that she made to amuse herself. But if this bar were supposedly 'Fun', then perhaps it would make her feel even a bit happy.

She decided that it was best to forget her problems.

Entering the bar, she was surprised that there were only a few people inside. It wasn't like the ones that she had been too, where the bars were jam-packed with dancing and drunk people. _What happened to all the fun?_

But she thought that this would be better. No one would be talking to her, asking her to dance or offering her a drink. With the sad aura that the bar was radiating, she'll be able to sulk in one corner.

She sat in one of the stools and ordered a Margarita. While waiting for her drink to arrive, she thought of calling Lacus to pick her up, but then again, there was a high probability that she was being all lovey-dovey on her date with her brother, Kira. Just by showing her dejected self to them, she would definitely spoil their date.

Besides, Kira, being the protective kind of brother that he was, would certainly try to convince Shinn to make up with her, or worse, beat the shit out of him. Neither was a good option at the moment.

"Here you are, miss." The bartender handed her the drink.

"_Let's break up."_

Before she could even drown herself in the alcoholic beverage, her tears were falling again.

"_I love you, Cagalli Hibiki."_

_Stupid Shinn!_ She screamed to herself. She never even thought that Shinn would do this to her. He was always so gentle and loving. He always wanted to be with her. He always liked to kiss and cuddle her. He always told her that he loved her. Always. Always. Always.

But he just broke up with her.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think that this would happen to them, that they would end this way. They were so in love with each other for years, now he ends everything? Does love really face throughout the years? She was unable to believe any of this.

"_I'm seeing someone else."_

She couldn't help but remember those words that stung her deeply. Although she tried to take it out of her mind, somehow, it just doesn't! Geez! The alcohol wasn't working.

"Sir, I'll have another Margarita please?" She told the bartender, handing him her hard-earned dollar bills all the while.

_That's why he's always spacing out on our dates lately!_Now she realized why he had been unaffectionate to her these past months. He didn't cuddle her like he used too, and didn't kiss her as much as he did in the past. When they started dating he never wanted to be away from her, but recently, she felt like he was pushing her away.

_The nerve of him to date someone and still kiss and hug me like nothing's going on!_She was completely grossed out on the idea that his lips made contact with 'whoever that bitch is' while kissing her. Maybe he had sex with her too?

_How could I be so stupid? Cagalli you are so stupid!_

"Are you okay?"

-o0o-

Fun Bar.

Athrun knew this was the best place to be all 'emotional'. People that would like to party all night long would be in the bars in the city. But he also wondered why it was called a 'Fun Bar' when all the kinds of people who went there just vented out their frustrations in life. _This should be called 'Emo Bar'._He thought to himself.

He went inside and proved to himself that he was right, they all looked like they were at the worst moment of their life.

Nearing the bartender, he saw a girl around his age, sitting in one of the stools. Her back wasn't facing her, but from the way that she was sitting, he could tell that she was also here to sulk.

He took the seat beside her. Taking a quick look at the blonde girl, he was surprised to find that she was a lot prettier now that he was able to see her face. Her amber eyes were so full of emotions, her cheeks were rosy and her lips seemed to be soft. Although she seemed so depressed.

Wait a damn minute, why was he checking out the girl beside him? He was supposed to getting drunk for what Meyrin had done to him today!

He never thought she would cheat on him again! The first time, he caught her kissing another guy in a bar. It seemed that she was too drunk. He really beat the crap out of the guy for violating his girlfriend. It turns out that they were flirting with each other for hours, as the bartender said to him.

When she came to her senses the following day, she immediately asked for forgiveness, telling him that she only kissed that guy in the bar because she was drunk. Even though it really hurt him a lot, he still forgave her because he wanted to believe that she wouldn't do it again, that she loved him.

But she did it again. How could she even have the guts to face him while she was seeing another guy? He thought that men were most likely the one that cheats in a relationship, but he never did. He swore his own life to that.

Maybe that was why she had been so secretive about stuff lately. Whenever he asked her: 'How was your day?' or 'Who was with you?' she could only answer: 'It was okay', 'I don't want to talk about it' or 'It's really not a big deal'. How could he be so stupid for not noticing that? For being so dumb for believing that everything between them was okay.

He ordered his drink and glanced again at the girl beside him. She was crying so hard! He couldn't help but ask. "Are you okay?"

-o0o-

She turned to where the voice came from and met with a dazzling pair of green eyes. She had to admit that he was very good-looking, a model perhaps. If she weren't so sullen and mad with the world, she would have even blushed that a guy like him was talking to her. But all that she could respond to his concerned question was, "That was a very stupid question."

He blinked, realizing that it was a stupid question indeed. She was crying, of course she wasn't okay. "I'm sorry." He couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

She wiped her tears with her fingers before she replied. "I believe that I was as stupid as that question."

_So she's heartbroken too huh?_ He gave her a half-hearted smile. "Me too."

"You?" She couldn't believe him. Was he lying so just he could just sympathize with her? "How can you, a good-looking man be dumped?" She asked him as she drank her Margarita.

"I'll take that as a compliment. But I did the dumping." His drink arrived and he took a sip before talking again. "It was just that, I was the one who was cheated on."

"Lucky you." She fiddled with the lime on her glass. "I was dumped and cheated on."

"I wouldn't call it lucky…." He took a big gulp on his drink. "Would who just broke up with her girlfriend be called lucky?" His hands fumbled the glass.

She didn't reply to what he said and finished her second glass. "Nice talking to you. I'll be going then." It'll be difficult to get a cab if it gets any later so she stood up and left a few dollar bills on the table.

Before he even realized what he did, he already got a hold her shoulder.

"Don't go just yet."

He wanted to talk to someone about this. Not with his friends, for he'll get pissed with their 'comforting words'. He knew that they would talk him into getting laid with another girl or tease him about the fact that he got cheated on. He was in no mood for that. Besides, it was nice to talk to girl for once.

"Why not?" She raised her eyebrows. What could this good-looking guy want from her? Furthermore, she was a girl that was just dumped by her boyfriend of six years. She wanted to go home and cry her heart out.

"Let's talk." He simply answered her.

_Talk?_ She wondered. This guy wanted to talk with her? What a solitary guy. Maybe he didn't have friends to talk to.

She said nothing and sat back down. This brought a smile on his face and ordered two more drinks. "I'll treat you since you're so nice to stay and talk to me."

-o0o-

Hours have passed and more empty glasses were beside them. They talked about their break-ups at first, but they ended up talking about other random things that just came up. Cagalli was surprised that this gorgeous man was cheated on. He was like the son of Venus with his perfect features. She also learned that he was into sports and had a very promising career, according to what she learned from this chat with him. Whoever that girl was, she was insane. She replaced this handsome creation with another man that she presumed couldn't even be at par.

Athrun, on the other hand, thought that she was really interesting. He felt her honesty in every word. She told him that she liked spicy food, doesn't care if her hair is in disarray, and disliked girly things and dresses. But she was wearing one, a light green one to be exact. It was too bad that her ex-boyfriend broke up with her. It was his loss. A girl this beautiful shouldn't be in tears. She doesn't deserve that douchebag she called her 'ex-boyfriend'.

It was silly that they were talking about petty things and were laughing their hearts out. As if the emotional break up with their lovers didn't happen. They were really looked perfectly okay, comfortably laughing with each other as if they have been long time friends.

As much as she wanted to stay and talk with him, it was really getting late. She knew that if it got any later, she would be walking to her house. Worse, get mugged or raped on her way home. "It was nice talking to you…" She smiled at her new friend. "But I really should be getting home now." She grabbed her bag and stood up.

"Wait." He held her arm yet again and she looked impatient as she turned back to him. "Look, it's really getting late. Plus, we've talked about almost everything." True, they have been talking for hours and learned a lot about each other.

"No. It's not that." He chuckled. "I'll drive you to your house. It'll be dangerous taking a cab in this hour."

"And agreeing to a stranger isn't?" She was being sarcastic, but then again when she thought about it, letting this guy take her home would be a lot safer than riding a cab at this time.

"You're tipsy." Athrun said. True enough, she couldn't walk straight. Her feet felt wobbly. Even though she was still sane enough to be aware of the surroundings, will she be strong enough to defend herself? She was never violated before, and she certainly didn't want to be violated. "Someone might take advantage of you."

"Are you sure you want to take me home?" She asked him, unsure if it was okay. "It's pretty far away from here."

"Of course." He gently smiled at her and she felt herself heating up, with just that. "It's the least I can do for a person who listened to my problems."

"Okay then." She agreed. At least she was getting a free ride and more time to spend with him.

-o0o-

As they walked to his car, Cagalli couldn't help but notice how he looked far more attractive in her eyes now than when they were inside the bar. She couldn't help but to have a good look of his body now that he stood up. He even held her by the waist to assist her while she walked. For some reason, she liked that feeling that she was safe when she was with him. She clung on to him to, just in case. Forget Shinn! This guy was way better than him anyway!

She didn't know why, but she started to feel some sort of sexual tension arise within her. Even the simple gesture of opening the car door for her was sexy in her eyes. Oh no, her hormones were doing their work.

He didn't start the car immediately but he turned to take a good look at her, smiling at that. His sexy smile, plus his stare was burning her, but here she was, locking her eyes on him as well.

It was like there was an electric current that passed through their bodies.

After a while, she decided to finally look away. Dangerous. That was too dangerous. He was being too damn attractive. _Look away Cagalli, so you don't have to stare at his gorgeous eyes._

"So where do you live?" He asked her, not tearing his eyes away from her.

She tried not to look at him, but it was rude not to. His eyes were just so mesmerizing to look at. She found herself lost in his eyes yet again at before giving her reply. She felt him draw his face closer to her, and she couldn't even believe that she was doing the same. Her mind was shutting down. "I live in-" She was cut off by the contact of Athrun's lips with hers.

Just like that, the two of them were kissing. They were kissing! Closing her eyes, she couldn't be happier that he was the one that initiated it. She didn't know if she could control herself any longer if he hadn't. She was longing to kiss him even when they were still seated inside that boring bar.

Everything else was a haze, including her break up a few hours ago; all she could focus on was this warm and pleasurable sensation he was giving her. She couldn't help but be impressed. This guy was good! No scratch that. This guy was insanely good. An expert! As expected from this attractive guy that was oozing of pheromones!

_She was just dumped and now she was now making out with a stranger in a car._

Their kiss deepened before they knew it. His tongue was already clashing with hers. Even though she already had a hard time breathing because they have been kissing for so long, she didn't care. When she let go for a millisecond to catch her breath, he instantly could claim it again with his mouth, and she didn't even complain. Her hands even made way to touch his face so to pull it even closer to hers. She shivered as she felt his exploring her body, caressing her shoulders and rubbing her back.

She was starting to feel weak at his touch, becoming too much submissive.

He finally found the zipper of her dress and was starting to undo it. Finally, rationality struck her when she heard the sound of the zipper as it unzipped.

"Wait..." She gasped for breath. "I can't…" She wasn't even able to finish what she said as he lunged at her mouth again to stop her from hesitating. But really, there wasn't the least bit of hesitation in her system.

Using all her strength, she managed to push him away from her, zipping her dress back up. "Not here." It was hard for her to do that, since it was very addicting. But at the same time, she knew what this would lead to so she was having a fight with herself, whether it was the right or idiotic thing to do to push him away.

"I'm sorry." He apologized to her and held her close to him. "I just couldn't help myself.

She let herself be hugged by the stranger. "It's okay." Why the hell was she enjoying all this?

He didn't want to stop kissing her. But seeing that she was uncomfortable with the situation they were in, he drew away and looked at her straight in the eyes. "My condo unit is nearby."

"Wh-what?" She blushed. She couldn't believe that this guy was inviting her to his place already! This was all happening to fast! But when she looked at his eyes, she saw utter desire. Utter desire for her. He completely misunderstood what she said. When she said 'not here', it was 'Not here. Not anywhere.' "You don't-"

"Since you're uncomfortable here, I figured it would be a bit better if we went to a place more private." He said while trying to claim her lips again.

"Mhmm-" She couldn't help but feel pleasured by the kisses that he was giving her. She was almost at her limit. She pushed him away for the second time, but now she was determined, determined to stick to whatever was on her mind right now. "Drive to your flat. Hurry." She panted as she sat properly and fastened her seatbelt.

Without any warning, he stepped on his accelerator. It would have sent her flying to the back of the car if she didn't put her seatbelt on. But she didn't mind how fast he was going, what mattered was that they should get to his place already.

He pulled over and told her that they arrived at the parking. It was all happening so fast, he was already pulling her out of the car. And when she was out of the car, her back was in contact with the car door as he was hastily kissing her again. "We... mhm.. should go… mhm… inside." She managed to say in between kisses.

She swore she squealed a bit when Athrun carried her like a sack as they went inside the elevator. He put her down when they were finally inside and couldn't help but kiss her yet again. She didn't even try to control herself, and clung to him like a lifeline and returned all his kisses. She was glad that it was late and that nobody, other than them, were inside.

When the elevator finally opened to his floor, he reached for his pocket and skillfully unlocked the door to his unit even while they lips were still locked with each other's. She didn't even have time to observe the interior of his condo because seconds later, she was shoved in his bed. All that she could focus on was this gorgeous man, as he positioned himself on top of her and kissed her sensuously yet again.

As he moved from her lips to her neck, she let out a loud moan. Too. Much. Bliss.

"Wait…" She managed to whisper.

"What is it?" He stopped what he was doing and cupped her face.

"Please remove my dress." It was so embarrassing, but she couldn't help it. The intake of a lot of alcohol a while ago wasn't helping either.

She saw a playful smirk across his face, contented that she gave in. Swiftly removing her light green dress, and her undergarments, she felt bare in front of him. He marveled at the sight that beheld him, but for some reason, it was okay, she didn't mind being too much exposed to him.

His clothing was also removed and tossed to the floor along with her clothes. She was also in awe. His body was built and it suited her preferences. It surprised her when her hands made its way to his naked body, stroking, touching, nuzzling.

She knew that she was going to regret this tomorrow morning. But what the heck? The night was still young. Tomorrow morning was still a few hours away. Or was it that today was tomorrow? She didn't care. She'd regret later. Right now, she wanted him. She wanted him so bad.

There were still a few hours before morning.

-o0o-

She woke up to the bright rays of the sun. Before she could appreciate the brightness that sun gave, an unfamiliar pain that she felt, stopped her. Her head was throbbing so badly. _Just how many glasses did I even drink?_ She massaged her temple to lessen the pain, but to no avail. She reached for a pillow to cover her whole head and to lull herself back to dreamland.

But it was strange; the pillow was in a white pillowcase. Didn't she change her pillowcases into a flowery design three days ago?

That reminded her, how did she even land on her bed?

Wait a minute, how did she get home anyway?

Did that guy manage to drive her home?

Wait, didn't they make out in his car and went to his condo?

Oh darn.

She bolted up the bed and panicked as it dawned her that she wasn't in her room. Of course, she wasn't! How could she even be when she accepted his invitation to go straight to his place to continue what they were doing!

Oh gosh. That guy.

Slowly darting her eyes to the left, her stomach dropped. Beside her was the sleeping form of the man of last night, his blue hair covering a bit of his eyes.

If he was sleeping beside her… that only meant…

She then realized that her clothes were sprawled all over the floor.

"_Please remove my dress."_ She recovered a hazy memory from last night.

Oh no she didn't.

She didn't have sex right?

But then her clothes were on the floor including her underwear.

So she did?

She couldn't. She wouldn't.

But she did anyway.

"BLOODY HELL!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, waking the sleeping guy beside her.

"What, what?" He shot up the bed, looking alert, but with the hint of sleepiness.

The blanket dropped from his upper body, managed to cover the lower part, which she presumed also didn't have any clothing that covered it. "I slept with you?" She asked him in disbelief, covering herself and her shame with the blanket.

"Now that's a stupid question." He laughed while he yawned. "Go back to sleep." He tried to pull her back to bed but she released herself from his grip. She got up and collected her clothes, draping the blanket around her naked form. "I have to go." She was in a hurry to get out of his condo.

"Why are you in a hurry to leave? It's a Sunday." He asked her as if it was normal to have a stranger sleep in his house and him exposing his naked self to her since she pulled the blanket to wrap around her body.

"Are you kidding me? I just broke up with my boyfriend." She said in disbelief as she was putting on her clothes.

"So did I." He yawned for the second time. "But it was my girlfriend that I broke up with." He tried to make a joke but it made things worse.

She blushed as she remembered what happened the night before. "In any case, I should go now!" She zipped up her dress and went out the room.

He was still in a daze to figure out what was happening, he snapped out of his thoughts when the blonde re-entered the room. "Forget this ever happened!" With those last words, she stormed out of his condo.

"Wait!" He called out to her, but he heard the sound of the elevator, he gave up trying to catch up to her. Besides he was naked. Why was she in a hurry to leave anyway? Did she have an important appointment that couldn't wait until later? Or was it just because she found it so wrong to be sleeping with a guy that she just met?

"I don't even know your name…" He chuckled as got the blanket on the floor and he lay back down his bed.

-o0o-

"Taxi!" Cagalli called out to the cab when she finally exited his the building.

"Where to ma'am?" The cab driver asked him when she entered the car.

"To Orb Plains."

She leaned on to the cab and sighed. She did regret it in the morning. _That was dangerous._ She shouldn't have done it anyway. But a part of her felt so good. But wait? What was she thinking? She didn't even know the name of the guy for Pete's sake! She didn't expect this kind of behavior from herself.

But she couldn't help but wonder if she'll ever meet him again.

-o0o-

To be continued! How was it? :):) Was it crappy? Review!


	2. Weekdays

A/N: Tadaa! Another chapter! And this fast! :D

I was surprised that someone pointed out that the first chapter had a lot of grammatical errors. But then again, I don't really read my stories after I finish writing them so I don't really know if there are errors committed. If you see errors in these chapters, please point them out! :)

For the first time, I've reread the first chapter and realized that there were errors, so I edited the chapter and added a few more scenes. From 2635 words, it became 4326 words. HAHAHA. Please point it out if there are still any errors from the first chapter. Thanks!

**[Edited 20130728]** Reread the first chapter to correct all the errors again. I'm pretty sure that the typos and what not would be gone, if not, very minimal. Also polished all the parts a bit, so you could say that I also 'remastered' it. Hihi.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 2: Weekdays

-o0o-

"Here we are miss." The taxi driver stopped in front of Cagalli's house. She handed him a few bills and went out of the cab.

She made her way to the house, trying not to make any noise that would wake her sleeping brother. Glancing at her watch, she read. _8 o' clock. _It was still early. Kira wouldn't be awake at this time. Hopefully, he didn't wait for her to come home and ask her where she was last night. If her brother knew that she spent the night at a stranger's house, he would definitely go ballistic. He was too overprotective of her, even though she was old enough to do what she wanted. Offensive as it seems, he still saw her as a high school teenager and his brother complex still hasn't changed since.

Knowing this brother complex of his, Cagalli was determined to keep this a secret from him. Her plan was to make her way up her bedroom, as quietly as she could possibly can, pretend to be sleeping all along and when her brother wakes up, she'll be waking up as well. If in any case that he asked her where she went, she'll just say that she and Shinn were stargazing and they didn't notice that it was getting late. The perfect alibi!

She didn't know how to tell him that she had broken up with Shinn yesterday. It would probably make things worse if she told Kira that he was seeing another girl while still in a relationship with her. Kira seemed to like Shinn for her. What would his reaction be if she told him? Adding to that the fact that she slept with another guy like nothing even happen. Kira would be so infuriated that all hell would break lose.

Opening the door, she took a step after another very carefully. She cursed the door inwardly when it creaked. _Kira might wake up with that stupid sound! _She was too paranoid to even think that her brother, a deep-sleeper, would be awake by that very minimal noise.

Relief replaced her anxiety when she didn't hear any sound coming out from Kira's bedroom. She tiptoed her way to the stairs until she heard a sound coming from the kitchen.

"Where have you been?" Kira was seated in the kitchen counter, with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Ki-kira!" Cagalli was surprised that his brother was up this early. Or did he stay up until she got home safely? So he was still keeping in track of her. "Good morning!" She greeted him, desperately trying to change the subject.

"That doesn't answer my question." He said calmly, taking a sip from his cup. "But yeah, good morning to you too."

_Crap._ She was in a pinch right now. "Kira…" She gulped nervously. "I spent the night at Shinn's."

Cagalli crossed her fingers. _Please believe it! Please believe it!_

"Really?" He yawned, as he was still sleepy. "You could have called me, if you weren't going to spend the night here. I was very worried. Heck you weren't even answering my calls."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You called?" She never heard her phone ring.

"A lot of times." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.

She brought out her phone and realized that he was really telling the truth. There were 12 missed call and all from Kira. Her phone wasn't even in silent mode. Why didn't she even notice? "I'm sorry." She apologized. "I must have been having too much fun to even notice." She couldn't believe that she even said that. Too much fun? From what? From making out with that hunk? True enough, Kira made those calls at the time she was with the good-looking guy.

"It's okay." Her brother smiled at her. "It was nice to know that you were having a good time." He put his cup of coffee in the sink and started to make his way to the stairs. "I'm going back to sleep now." With that, he went to his bedroom and closed the door.

She sighed in relief when her brother believed her lies. But at the same time, she felt bad that she had to lie to her brother, the person she cared for the most. "I'm sorry Kira. I just can't tell you, not right now." She spoke in a very inaudible tone.

-o0o-

Athrun yawned as he got inside his car. It was Monday, the day that he hated the most. Mondays meant he had to work for another five days. He had to wake up early in the morning for five more days, which he hated with much passion, as he'd rather sleep in until the afternoon. He had nothing against the bright rays of the sunlight, chirping birds and the cool breeze in the morning; it was just that he wasn't a morning person. That's why he loved weekends.

Mondays signify the start of the boring routine in his office. It starts with the daily antagonizing morning traffic, which he hated a lot. He was a man that drove with speed, so having to sit in his car without being able to move really pisses him off. When he gets to his office, a pile documents on his desk would welcome him, emails that needed to be read and responded, meetings needed to be attended. Phone calls would also start to come in from various clients, suppliers and employees.

What completely freaked him out with phone calls was that, squealing girls were sometimes on the other line. He wondered how the hell they got through the operator. The fragrance company that he was working in was one of the major players worldwide, so he couldn't even imagine the kinds of lies those girls told the operator to connect them to his telephone line. He wanted to blame his mom for forcing him get featured in one of those 'high society' magazines which caused all those crazy fan girl calls.

Other than those, his lunch would almost always be in with clients, board of directors or the other executives of the company, and they still talked about work. It would be nice if he could always eat out with his friends and family during his lunch break. In some very rare cases he would be dining with them too, filling them in on the progress or decline of the company. He wanted to roll his eyes, even the times that he supposedly was on break hours, and he still was preoccupied with work.

Afternoons would be spent in conference rooms, discussing about the operations marketing, financing, strategies, research and development of their company and products. Most of the time, he would just stare into space and nod like he was listening to what the people even say. He would pretend to be so absorbed in the topic they were discussing and sometimes even asked the questions, albeit he knew the answer in his head already. He would try to hard to speak during the meetings as if he was really interested and determined with everything.

There were times that he would spend his nights in his office, typing away things that needed to be done. His secretary would always say what was due the next day, but he ends up finishing even those that are due for next week. The only times that he would go home early is when he was meeting his family or when his girlfriend would invite him to go to dinner. Those were the highlights of his weekdays.

Now that he didn't have a girlfriend anymore, he was sure that he would be spending more time in the office. The reason why he always finished working on the files ahead of time is because Meyrin frequently asked him to eat dinner with her. _Great._ He thought while he drove to his office.

What happened last Saturday was a dream. It was the complete cycle breaker from his boring routine. That blonde girl really made everything better. It was sad that he didn't get her number, or even at least her name. If he had, he would have invited her out to coffee or dinner more often, or even dates to anywhere! There was something about that beautiful lady that drove him insane.

"Only five more days until Saturday." He sighed.

He got out of his car and brought out his suitcase. He clicked his car shut and went inside the building. Several employees stopped what they were doing and greeted him a 'good morning'. Although, he refused to think that it was a 'good morning' so he just gave them a nod to acknowledge their politeness.

It was a long ride in the elevator. Many stops were made before he could even reach the 24th floor, to where his office was. He got out of the elevator and his secretary was already there to brief him with the agenda for the day. He gave her a quick nod and asked her to prepare him coffee.

This was the start of his boring routine.

-o0o-

"Zala!" A tanned man opened the door of his office.

"You need something Dearka?" Athrun didn't even bother looking at him; he was too busy typing in his computer.

"No clients for today?" He grinned as he approached Athrun's table, amused that he was here when he was usually out for lunch.

"No." He replied nonchalantly. It was a good thing that there wasn't for he didn't really want to meet people right now. He was really in a bad mood.

Dearka smirked and closed his laptop shut. Athrun was shocked with what he just did; he didn't even have the chance to save his documents!

"What the hell Elsman?" Athrun fumed at what his colleague had done. He would be really mad if everything that he typed was gone.

"Eat lunch with me!" Dearka invited, ignoring Athrun's anger directed at him. "It's very rare that you happen to be free during lunch."

"Bug off." The blue-haired man opened his laptop again and resumed his work. "I'm too busy."

"Come on!" The blond guy tried to persuade him. When Athrun says no, it was hard to make him change his mind, so he thought of the perfect bait. "It'll be my treat."

There was a moment of silence, not including the sound of the keyboard while Athrun typed. After a few clicks, he finally closed his laptop and stood up. "If you say that it's your treat, then I really can't say no."

"You waited for me to say that didn't you?" Dearka raised an eyebrow at him as they made their way to the elevator.

"Of course I did." He gave him a ruthless smirk. "I wouldn't be wasting my precious time with you if I had to spend my money."

"What a friend you are! That hurt!" He clutched his chest in an emotional way and pretended to feel very offended. They got inside the elevator and Dearka pushed the 'ground' button. He then laughed. "I was just joking Athrun old buddy!" He patted Athrun's back. "You'll be paying for your own lunch."

"Dickhead." Athrun told his friend as they got out of the elevator. "Real men don't joke about stuff like those."

"Fine!" Dearka agreed, well he did make the offer anyway. "I'll be treating you this one. But next time, it'll be your turn to treat me."

"No way." He said, he wasn't planning to treat him anytime soon.

"Real men treat their friends!" Dearka exclaimed.

"No. Real men treat women, not men, you wuss." Athrun retorted. For him that was more reasonable.

Athrun and Dearka entered the restaurant in front of their office and grabbed the seats near the door. They motioned a waiter to take their orders.

"What will your orders be, sirs?" The waiter asked, patiently waiting for the two men to order, holding a pen and paper with his hands.

"I'll be taking the combo meal." Dearka said, browsing through the menu.

"And you sir?" The waiter turned to look at Athrun who was still deciding.

"I want the second solo meal with the mash potato side dish, mushroom soup, extra rice and upsize my drink please." Athrun handed the menu back to the waiter.

"Okay sirs." The waiter smiled at his customers. "Your orders will be served in ten minutes."

Dearka couldn't help but gape at his friend when the waiter left. "You sadistic bastard!" He cursed his friend in front of him. "You're planning to rape my wallet!"

"So what if I am?" Athrun chuckled. "Real men don't back down on their words."

"These 'Real men' shit is getting on my nerves." Dearka sighed. "Why are you in such a bad mood anyway?" He asked him, noticing that his friend was different today.

"Nothing really." Athrun didn't want to talk about his break-up with Dearka, all of people. He wasn't the type that you could talk to when it came to love and personal problems. His forte was only when you want to talk about sex, women, sex, sports, sex, cars and sex. Those were pretty much it.

"You didn't get to sleep with your sexy girlfriend this weekend now did you?" Dearka raised his eyebrows, trying to find out the reason behind his temper.

"No. No I didn't." Athrun sighed. In fact, he slept with someone else.

"That's too bad!" Dearka made a 'tsk-tsk' sound. "Sex is what makes your relationship grow fonder."

"Cut the crap about that relationship shit." Athrun rested his head on his palm. "I'm in no mood to talk about that." He really didn't want to be reminded about that.

"Ohh…" Dearka teased him knowingly. "A lovers quarrel!" He pulled out his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed some numbers. "Don't worry! I'll call Meyrin and tell her that you two should make up!"

"Idiot!" Athrun grabbed the phone from Dearka and pressed the 'cancel' button. "Don't even think of calling her!"

"Why not?" Dearka asked him, unaware of what happened during the weekend. "I'm Cupid! I can fix your love problems!"

"For your information Dearka, Cupid is a matchmaker not a psychologist, therapist, counselor or anything of the matter." He tossed the phone back to Dearka.

"You should go and apologize to her. I'm sure she'll forgive you for whatever you did." He encouraged his friend.

He felt his temper rising at that remark. Why should he be the one apologizing anyway? "It wasn't me that was at fault, you idiot." Athrun spat at him.

"What?" Dearka was confused. "So it was Meyrin's fault. Sorry about that, I thought that it was your fault. What did she do anyway?"

"She didn't do anything that bad really." Athrun said, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Except for the fact that she cheated on me!"

"Woah. Dude…." Dearka was in disbelief. "Again?" He noticed that Athrun's eyebrow twitched at his remark. _Oops. __Wrong choice of words._

"Yes again." Athrun's relaxed demeanor was back.

"You should have called me! I would have treated you for a few drinks." Dearka tried his best to comfort his dumped friend the way he knows how.

"No need." Athrun calmly replied, remembering the only thing that went right that weekend. "I had company."

"What? Who?" Dearka demanded for an answer. "If it's Yzak then-"

"It was a girl, you twit." He told her as their orders came.

"You found a new girlfriend, I see." Dearka took a drink from his soda.

"She's not my girlfriend." Athrun sliced the beef on his plate. "It just happened that we sat beside the bar, and she also had a break-up with her boyfriend, so we talked."

"And?"

"And?" Athrun repeated Dearka's question.

"There was nothing else?" He gave him a smug. "No sex?"

A smile crept on his face, a genuine one at that. "There was."

"There was?!" Dearka was in shock. How could his friend get over Meyrin so easily? He knew that his buddy was the loyal type of guy, what happened? Was it because he was too crushed with what happened?

"Don't make me repeat myself." Athrun threatened him.

"Who's the lucky girl?" Dearka asked further, wanting to know more of his escapade.

"I don't know." Athrun replied while putting food in his mouth.

"What do you mean you don't know? You didn't even ask for her name?" He couldn't believe that Athrun skipped the standard operating procedure when flirting with girls.

"I was supposed to." Athrun replied. "But she stormed out of my flat the minute she woke up."

"Real men ask women for their names." Dearka joked. "Even before they have sex…"

"Don't start." Athrun continued eating with a very 'mad mood aura'. Dearka didn't want to anger his friend anymore, so he paid all his attention to what he was food in front of him.

-o0o-

"Are you okay?" It was Miriallia, her best friend, her voice filled with so much concern for her.

"Yeah." Cagalli answered her. "I'm okay."

"Liar." She stuck her tongue out. "You've been spacing out since yesterday. Tell me what's wrong?"

Cagalli couldn't help but smile. Her best friend could easily see right through her lies. She had to admit, she needed a friend in kinds types of situations. "Who wouldn't be spacing out if their boyfriend just broke up with them?"

Miriallia's eyes widened at her confession. She didn't want to believe what Cagalli just said. She thought that Shinn and Cagalli were so perfect for each other. She wasn't the only one to think that way. "Wait, what? When?"

"Just last Saturday." Cagalli sighed, the pain was starting to creep in again.

"What?" The auburn-haired girl was in shock. "Weren't you being lovey-dovey at the movie house last Friday?"

"Yes we were." Cagalli's voice was hoarse; she didn't want to cry anymore. "To tell you the truth, I didn't expect him to do that."

"Aww Cagalli!" Miriallia gave her friend a light hug. She felt too bad for her friend. That Shinn was insane for breaking up with her!

"He cheated on me Miri." Tears were now starting to fall from Cagalli's eyes. No matter how many times she told herself not to cry, she just couldn't control it. It was too painful. She felt like she was being stabbed repetitively.

"He did?!" Miriallia couldn't believe it. Back in college, Shinn would only lay his eyes on Cagalli. He continued to court her even if Cagalli kept rejecting him. His determination and devotion was the reason why Cagalli fell in love with him. Now he was blowing it off for another girl? What happened? What went wrong? She didn't want ask her best friend and make her feel worse.

Miriallia grabbed Cagalli and headed to the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Cagalli asked her as they went out of the pastry shop.

"We're going to get fresh air." Her friend smiled at her. "It's our lunch break. I don't see why we shouldn't use it. Now you can tell me all about it!" They walked until they reached the park and they sat down in one of the benches.

"I'm such an idiot Miri!" Cagalli continued on with venting out her sad and frustrated feelings. She didn't have the chance to tell Kira, because he would really get mad. Since Kira was always with Lacus, she couldn't tell her either. She had been keeping it all to herself for a days now. "To think that he was seeing another girl behind my back for a year now. I'm so stupid. I'm a stupid idiot! Why didn't I notice that?"

Miriallia was really getting irked at what she was hearing. She really liked Shinn because not only was he kind to Cagalli, but he was also kind to her friends as well. But how could he do this to her? Making her believe in his lies for a year! She'd like to give Shinn a piece of her mind if she would ever run into him. But she was unsure whether she could keep her composure if there happened to be a chance since she wanted to slap that two-timing bastard.

Miriallia's attention went back to her crying friend and tried to comfort her. "There, there." She squeezed her hand. "It's okay, Cagalli. You don't deserve a guy like that. You deserve better."

Cagalli looked at her friend but still was unable to control her emotions. "But why did he have to do that to me? Wasn't I good enough? Was there something wrong with me? What was it that made him leave me? I don't understand Miri, I don't understand."

"What are you talking about?" Miriallia pulled out her handkerchief and used it to wipe her friend's tears. "You were good enough! Nothing is wrong with you! He was just a sick bastard to not realize that!"

Hearing the words, sick bastard, she couldn't help but cry even more. So a sick bastard dumped her? If a sick bastard dumped her, then that made her even lower than him? A stupid loser perhaps?

"Miriii!" Cagalli pounced her friend. "I'm so stupid!"

"Cagalli!" You're not!" Miriallia wanted her to let out her frustrations. She wanted Cagalli to feel better already, but that wasn't really possible. That Shinn. She swore she wanted to slap that red-eyed demon for putting her best friend in this state. She would do that later, but for now, she wanted to be there for her heartbroken friend.

"It's okay." Miriallia hugged back. "Just let it all out. It'll be okay. I swear. I'm here for you."

Those words were all Cagalli needed to hear. She tightened her hug around her friend and cried her heart out. She cried for the days that she wasn't able to because she didn't want Kira to know. She cried for the days that she didn't cry because she didn't want her fellow colleagues to worry. She cried simply because it hurt. She really loved Shinn. She wanted to be forever with him. But she didn't expect him to do such a thing. It felt like Shinn made a hole through her heart with what he did.

_Shinn Asuka. I hate you! I hate that you broke my heart._

"Do you feel better now?" Miriallia asked her as soon she stopped crying.

"I think I am." Cagalli wiped her tears using Miriallia's handkerchief. It did relief her that she let it all out.

"Let's eat!" Miriallia squeezed her hand, trying to cheer her up even more. "What do you like to eat?"

"I don't feel like eating." Cagalli sighed. It was true. She was losing her appetite these days. At home, she would just excuse herself to her bedroom or eat as little as she could. Good thing Kira wasn't able to notice anything.

"I won't accept that! You should eat!" Miriallia insisted. "Skipping meals isn't going to do you any good."

"But I don't feel like eating." Cagalli tried to reason with her best friend. She would have felt worse if just wasted food by eating when she really didn't want to.

"Nonsense!" Miriallia exclaimed. "I shall treat you lunch! I won't take no for an answer!" She stood up and pulled Cagalli with her.

Cagalli was grateful that her friend was with her. Miriallia sure knew how to make everything better. She didn't dare argue with her any further and let her drag her to wherever she wanted to eat.

They soon stopped walking when they reached a waffle house. Both of them went inside and sat facing each other.

"This place is just new here. I heard from Shiho that the waffles here are deliciously delicious!" She was full of cheerfulness and zeal, contrasted to the gloomy Cagalli in front of her.

"Come on Cagalli! Smile!" She put her fingers on Cagalli's cheeks and tried to pull her lips into a smile. "See? You look so much prettier with a smile!"

Cagalli didn't want her friend to worry about her any further so she gave her a half-hearted smile.

"That's better." Miriallia smiled.

Soon their orders came; both of them ordered waffles with cream. She made a mental note to take Kira and Lacus here. Miriallia was right; the waffles here were so delicious.

"This is so good!" Miriallia put another slice on her mouth.

"Sure is." Cagalli agreed and ate hers as well.

Pretty soon they finished their waffles and on their way back to the pastry shop. Cagalli couldn't help but feel a weird sensation in her stomach. It wasn't the strange-pleasurable-butterfly-sensation when she saw Shinn. It was more of a painful sensation. Something was swirling inside that needed to be let out.

"Miri." Cagalli started to say. "Do you feel something weird?"

"What do you mean?" Her friend answered her as she put back her apron.

"I don't feel so good." Cagalli was feeling nauseous all right. Now it was almost at her throat. "I think it's because of the waffles."

"That's strange." Miriallia said. "I don't really feel anything wei-" She wasn't able to finish her sentence because Cagalli made a run for the bathroom.

Cagalli couldn't hold it in anymore. She needed to let it out. She went inside the bathroom and couldn't help but vomit on the sink. She saw the bits of waffle all over the sink. _So gross._ She felt bad for Miriallia. She wasted Miriallia's money and threw it all out the sink. She cleaned up the sink and went out of the bathroom.

"Are you lactose intolerant?" Miriallia worriedly asked her.

"Not that I know of." She replied and decided to shrug it off.

-o0o-

I had fun writing Athrun and Dearka's conversation.

Reviewww!


	3. Fateful Encounter

**[Edited 20130730-20130805]**

A/N: I'm so in the mood to update this fic. I hope this mood never ends.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 3: Fateful Encounter

-o0o-

"Don't you think so too Cagalli?" A pink-haired woman asked.

"I think it's nice." She replied with a hint of disinterest in her voice.

"You weren't listening to us Cagalli." The woman sitting across her laughed at her answer.

"I was!" Cagalli insisted, in a defensive tone for that matter. "I said that dress that you're wearing is nice!"

"That isn't our topic anymore! That really proves that you weren't listening to us, sis." Kira laughed at her sister's blabber while eating his fries. "We were asking your opinion about pets. Lacus asked you whether guppies should be fed twice a day and you answered her 'it's nice.' Clearly, your mind is wandering somewhere else."

"I was so listening!" The blonde argued, even though it was pretty obvious that she wasn't really paying attention. "I said feeding guppies are nice!"

"Oh really now? You just said Lacus' dress was nice." Kira cocked his eyebrows, amused that his sister kept on trying to deny that she was spacing out. "Then, what are guppies then?"

"Guppies? Of course they're dogs!" She answered her brother confidently. Although the feeling was soon gone as she saw her brother and his girlfriend in a fit of laughter. She suddenly doubted her answer, and spoke in a sheepish tone. "They're dogs? Aren't they?"

"You were really not listening to us." Kira stuck his tongue out. "Don't even try to deny it now."

"I'm sorry!" She finally admitted her defeat. "So yeah, I wasn't. Lacus I'm sorry." She turned to Lacus and apologized. She didn't want to embarrass herself any longer.

Lacus gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay Cagalli. But I have to agree with Kira, your mind is somewhere else. Care to tell us?

_Crap. I'm blowing my cover._ "N-no it's not! W-what are you talking about?" She stuttered nervously. Cagalli knew she could talk to Lacus about Shinn and the breakup. Lacus was actually a very good listener with lots of good advises to give for comfort and encouragement. She would eventually tell her, just not while Kira was also there…

"Yes it is!" Kira insisted. "Come on! Tell us!"

"Yes please do." Lacus clapped her hands and urged her to tell them.

"I'm just tired you guys." She confessed, partly telling the truth. Even though she just broke up with her boyfriend, she wasn't the type that would be up all night thinking about it. For her, the remedy to forget her problems was either to eat, so that even if she wasn't happy, at least her stomach was, or to sleep, so she would stop thinking about the depressing thoughts that never leave her head. So she didn't quite understand why she felt so weary recently. Maybe this break-up think was draining all of her energy without her even noticing it.

"You do look tired." Lacus patted her shoulder and looked at Kira worriedly.

"You should have said that you wanted to sleep a few more hours." Kira told her as he drank from his soda. "You should head home, Lacus and I still have somewhere to go to after this."

"Okay. Maybe I just need to take a nap." Cagalli just nodded. She really wanted to rest as well. A few hours of sleep could recharge her battery. She finished up her burger and stood up. "I'll go to the bathroom first."

In the girls' bathroom, she went inside an empty cubicle and nervously undid her pants. _This is a very awkward_. She thought to herself. As soon as her pants were undone, she carefully slid her underwear down and took a peek. She was glad that she didn't see any blood in her panties.

It was a relief for her, but at the same time she started to wonder. "That's weird." She muttered to herself as she zipped her pants. "My period was supposed to be due three days ago."

A delay, she concluded. That was normal? It happens to her sometimes... But then again, her period was always only one day late.

Then she felt that weird sensation coming from her stomach again. _I didn't eat any waffles to-_Before she could even finish her sentence, crap starting coming out of her mouth. It was really gross. She never liked the feeling of vomiting anyway. The food she just chewed and swallowed a while ago came out coupled with an unpleasant smell. But why was she vomiting again?

"This is the second time I've thrown up this week." She sighed as she flushed the toilet. She was about to open her cubicle when suddenly she heard a pair of voices entering the bathroom. She didn't even know why, but she didn't come out of her cubicle and stayed to listen to the two girls as they talked instead.

"I'm telling you Erika! Misaki's pregnant!" A high-pitched voice came.

_"__Pregnant?"_ She whispered to herself. _What the hell?__I couldn't be… No wait, did we use a condom when we…_Panic struck her when she couldn't remember if they used a contraceptive or not. No wonder why she was feeling horrible lately. The vomiting, nausea, and the delay of her period… _Oh shit. Could I really be…_

"Pregnant? Are you sure about that Honoka?" Erika, Cagalli presumed, asked.

"Of course!" The girl named Honoka, replied. "It's so obvious already!"

"How can you even tell that a woman is pregnant?" The other girl asked in curiosity.

"Of course there are symptoms!" Honoka confidently answered. "First when the woman vomits lately, then when she always feels tired and sleepy, and then of course when she's not having her period."

"I see!" Erika chimed. "Isn't that great for the both of them. Usui's going to be so happy when he finds out that they're finally going to have a baby!"

"Well, I guess so." With that, the voices disappeared and the sound of the bathroom door closing could be heard. [1]

"Shit." Cagalli muttered to herself in a louder tone when she could be certain that she was alone in the bathroom. Those two girls could actually be telling her something that she should have realized days ago… "What am I panicking for? Of course I'm not." She tried to deny it, although there was anxiety welling up in her. "I couldn't be…"

But then she wasn't sure herself and she wanted to find out if it could possibly be true. She exited the washroom and went back to Kira and Lacus, who were already outside in the parking lot, waiting for her.

"What took you so very long sis? Did you do number 2 inside the washroom?" [2] Kira joked, unable to sense anything that was peculiar.

"Maybe." Cagalli answered him. She wasn't in the mood for Kira's corny jokes. She was facing a crisis right now.

"So are you ready to go Cagalli?" Lacus asked her.

"Kira, you two should go ahead." Cagalli suggested. "I still have somewhere to go to."

"What?" Kira was a tad surprised with what his sister said "Didn't you say that you wanted to go home and rest?"

"Yes I want to go home and rest, but before that, I want to pass by the convenience store." It was partially true, since she was going to buy pregnancy kits. "I heard that they're selling new flavors of ice cream." That part was the lie.

"Then we'll drive you there." Kira clicked the keys to his car open. "We'll pass by a convenience store on the way home."

"No! It's really okay! I want to walk my way to the convenience store anyway!" Cagalli insisted, determined to not let them know of her current situation. She didn't know how she would even tell them.

"Are you sure?" Her brother asked her again, in case she might change her mind.

"Yes! I'm sure!" She raised her thumbs up. "You two have fun okay!"

"We'll see you later Cagalli." Lacus gave her a hug.

"Okay then." Cagalli hugged her back.

With that, her brother and his girlfriend went inside the car and drove to their destination. Cagalli felt relieved that she didn't have to explain herself to them right now, when she was also not sure whether or not she was pregnant. She really hoped that she wasn't. Because if she were, she had no idea on how she would tell Kira since she knew that he would definitely be mad at her.

The nearest drugstore was right nearby the fast-food chain that they ate. In a matter of seconds, she was already crossing the street. Her heartbeat was racing faster than normal, she was very nervous at what she was about to do.

-o0o-

"Thank you for your patronage! Have a nice day!" The cashier enthusiastically bid Cagalli goodbye as she went out of the store.

She sighed in ease as she got it over and done with, holding the plastic bag tighter. "I guess it's pretty normal for girls my age buying these kinds of stuff."

"Well what did you buy anyway?" She shrieked when she heard a voice behind her.

"Miri?!" She turned to look at whoever that was and found that it was her best friend and felt glad. Heck she didn't know what she would do if it was Kira or Lacus.

"Yes it's me!" Her friend smiled at her, without a clue about what was running through her head.

"It's only you!" Cagalli exclaimed.

"How rude." Miriallia pouted when she said that. "What did you mean it was 'only' me?"

"N-no!" Cagalli stuttered and was finding the right reply so that she wouldn't offend her any longer. "I mean I'm glad that it's you!"

"Right." Miriallia agreed to her, with a mix of sarcasm in her voice. "So what did you buy?"

"No-nothing." Cagalli hid the plastic bag behind her back.

"You're acting way too suspicious." Miriallia eyed her. Cagalli wasn't really the type that kept secrets, especially from her.

"What are you talking about?" Cagalli laughed nervously. "I'm acting like I always do."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"Not."

"I am."

"Not."

"I am."

"Not."

"I am acting normal okay!" Cagalli was getting impatient already. She wanted to go home and find out if she was pregnant or not. But Miriallia was proving to be a very difficult obstacle for her.

As she semi-exploded, the plastic bag dropped, revealing a box of pregnancy kit. Her jaw dropped and when she looked at Miriallia, confusion and surprise was etched on her best friend's face.

"So who did you buy it for?" Miriallia got over her shock and asked her, not even aware that she bought it for herself.

When Cagalli wasn't answering her, she soon realized it herself. "So… you bought it for yourself?"

"Yeah. I did." Cagalli admitted in defeat. It's no use lying to Miriallia anyway. She's a lie detector expert, which sometimes pisses her to the bone. And since Miriallia is her best friend, she is able to see past her lies and excuses better than anyone else, even Kira and Shinn.

"I can't believe he still has the guts to sleep with you when he's seeing another girl already!" Miriallia fumed when she remembered that sick and cheating bastard.

"Let's head home." Cagalli suggested, deciding that she should at least tell somebody about last weekend. "I'll tell you everything that you need to know."

-o0o-

"What?!" Miriallia was in a state of shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. As soon as they got home, they went to Cagalli's room and she told her what happened. "You mean to tell me that you slept with another man? You should also be accused of infidelity!" Her friend was also seeing another guy! And here she was, thinking that she knew everything about her best friend. What was happening to the world?

"Of course not dummy." Cagalli sat down her bed and tried to explain herself. "I wasn't cheating on him-"

"Oh really now." Miriallia raised her eyebrow, obviously overreacting. "Which part of 'sleeping-with-another-man-other-than-your-boyfrie nd' isn't infidelity?"

"Because he already broke up with me when I slept with another guy, that's why it's not infidelity!" She spat out, with bitterness evident in her voice. Just the thought of that Shinn and his year-long and continuing love affair really made her angry.

"Ohhh… I see. So was that a revenge sex or something?" Miriallia tone changed into a calmer one.

"Of course not. It wasn't meant like that anyway." Cagalli pulled out the content of the plastic bag and opened the pregnancy kit.

"Then was he a stripper?" Miriallia was in a state of shock again. If it wasn't infidelity or revenge sex, this could only mean one thing! Her best friend went to a brothel and paid a guy to make her forget the pain! "How much did you even pay him?! I didn't know you were like that when heartbroken Cagalli…"

"Miri!" Cagalli's face was beet red. She wasn't that type of person! The thought didn't even cross her mind. How could her best friend even say that? "I did not hire a stripper okay! He was also a customer at the bar I went to. He approached me and-"

"Asked you to have sex?" Miriallia cut her off, clearly wanting her to skip to the part when they stripped each other of their clothing.

"Will you please let me finish?" Cagalli huffed in annoyance. Miriallia always seem to cut her off when she tried to tell her something, especially something this exciting Her friend, even though she doesn't look like it, has a very perverted mind. "No he didn't ask me to have sex. I think he was concerned when he saw me crying. Then he asked me if I was okay, then I sort of enjoyed his company and we talked for hours."

"So when did the 'having sex' part come in?" Miriallia urged her to continue.

She rolled her eyes. What an impatient and perverted woman Miriallia was. She wasn't even interested at whatever they talked about. "When we were in his car, we had an intense make-out. Then I guess both of us got horny and then we went to his condo and there you have it." She told her as she read the box for the instructions on how to use the pregnancy kit.

"Was he good-looking?" She asked.

Cagalli blushed at Miriallia's question. She glued her eyes onto the writings on the box and avoided looking at her. He was good-looking all right. Super hot and super good-looking, if she may put it. He had the most gorgeous emerald eyes she had ever seen and it fascinated her. "H-he… w-was…" In addition to his good looks, he had a very muscular body to match it with. She remembered having chills when she touched his bare chest.

"I'm not basing this from your horrible taste in men, rather, by judging from your super red face, I can tell that you're not lying." Miriallia tried to tease her more. "You're so lucky! Having slept with a handsome man! Tell me more about your night in bed with him!"

"Okay I'm going to try this!" Cagalli desperately tried to change the subject and stood up, carrying the pregnancy kit and went inside the bathroom.

"I want to see it!" Miriallia squealed and tried to open the doorknob and join her.

"Don't go inside!" Cagalli retorted.

"But why?" Miriallia fiddled with the doorknob, only to find it locked.

"Do you want to see me pee?" Cagalli asked her sarcastically.

"It's okay!" She replied.

"Well, it isn't okay for me! So wait there until I finish!" Cagalli commanded her before being immersed into what she was doing.

"Cagalli!" Miriallia called out to her after a few minutes of waiting outside the bathroom. "What happened to you? You've been quiet for a few minutes now."

The door of the bathroom opened and Cagalli slowly walked back to the room and sat on her bed, silent than ever before and distress was all over her face.

"So?" Miriallia had a hunch of what the result might be, but still, she wanted to hear it from Cagalli herself. "How did it go?"

"P-p-p-po" Cagalli found it difficult to say the words out loud. "Positive. It's positive."

"Positive?"

"You heard me! I saw two lines! Two red lines means positive! Positive means p…" She wanted to slap herself for being so careless!

"Why didn't you use any protection? Well at least you're going to be a-" Miriallia tried to cheer her up, but she didn't know what to say that could possibly lighten the mood of her best friend. "Congratulations?" But seeing the look on Cagalli's face, it sure seemed like she was picking all of the wrong words.

"I can't believe this!" Cagalli exclaimed and was frustrated with herself and everything else. "And it's all because of that ridiculously handsome emerald-eyed sex machine!"

-o0o-

"Athrun?" Dearka called out to him when he saw him pause in his tracks. "What are you stopping for?"

"That's weird. I think I heard someone call out my name." Athrun scratched his head. It seemed like there really was no one that called him. But he sure thought there was.

"No one was calling you, conceited dumbass." A platinum-haired guy walked passed him.

"What a very nice greeting Yzak." Athrun joked as he walked inside the beerhouse with his two friends.

-o0o-

"I'm bored." Athrun said to himself. He gave up trying to concentrate on his documents. His mind wasn't really in the mood for work. Since there were no clients and staff meetings today, he should have just opted to work from home to get more sleep. He didn't get much sleep last night because Yzak and Dearka stopped him from going home and forced him to drink some more. And because he drank a lot, his head was throbbing, big time.

_That was fun though._ They haven't done that for a very long time. Drinking with his friends should be done more often. He should, since he doesn't have a girlfriend anymore to stop him and complain when he's spending time with his friends and not with her.

He didn't want to continue working anymore and decided that he should just call it a day. "Lunamaria." He called his secretary, which was also Meyrin's sister. It was very irritating that she was working for him. He didn't need a reminder of his stupidity every single day! He wanted to fire her immediately, but he didn't have any valid and legal reasons to do so.

"You called Athrun?" Lunamaria appeared, wearing a skirt that was shorter than what was prescribed in their dress code. How did she even get past the security in that micro mini? Ever since Dearka started announcing to the whole building that Athrun was now single, he noticed that her clothes became more revealing. He heard from Dearka that he had been noticing Lunamaria giving him those yearning looks before…

"That's Mr. Zala to you." He replied coldly as he gathered up his things, he didn't want to be around her if that was the case. "I'll be heading home now."

"Okay sure." She sure sounded disappointed at what he said. When he was still together with Meyrin, he treated her with so much kindness. But now… Why was he putting all his anger and frustrations at her? It wasn't her fault that Meyrin broke up with him. But still… He just couldn't act like the way he did before. "Wait." She called out to him.

"What?" He turned back to his secretary. "If anyone calls me, just tell them that I have a very important appointment to go to."

"No it's not that." Lunamaria hesitated to continue. "It's just…"

"What is it? Hurry up and say it." Athrun was losing his patience. He wanted to leave, now.

"Do you want to have a cup of coffee with me sometime? I know you broken up with-" She didn't have any chance to continue what she was about to say because Athrun already stormed out of his office.

"Geez. They have got to be kidding me." Athrun sighed as he got inside the elevator. Having a relationship with one Hawke was enough for a lifetime. He wasn't that stupid to know that Luna kept flirting with different men in the office and when she went out with him and Meyrin. He may not look like it, but he is really good observer.

He revved his engine and drove out of the building. He didn't want to go home immediately though. Feeling a bit hungry, he decided to have a bite before he went home.

"Hmm… what to eat?" He asked himself as he drove in search of a place to eat. He passed a lot of restaurants and fast-food chains along the way. The food around here never changes and he was getting sick of eating almost the same damn thing every single day.

With a lot of turns, he finally reached a street that was very foreign to him. "What about waffles?" He passed by a newly opened waffle shop. So this was the waffle shop his officemates told him about. But seeing that there were a lot of people waiting in line outside, he doubted that he could find a seat. He didn't want to wait either. He drove past it and searched for some place else to eat.

It didn't take him a lot of time before he drove by a pastry shop he never saw before. It didn't look very popular at all since there were only a two cars that were parked beside it, but it did feel like they were making some nice cakes. A person, who just went outside the shop, a customer he presumed, was saying that he would definitely visit them again.

He observed further. A couple passed by and stopped before going inside. "Their cakes are really good! I swear! I even wonder why this shop isn't that popular!" He read the words that came out of the guy's mouth. Feeling convinced, he parked his car in one of the empty slots near to the door,

"Welcome!" A few waitresses greeted him as he entered the shop. The interior of the store was simple and he felt comfortable with the aura inside the shop. It wasn't an awkward atmosphere like he had expected. The waitresses and other employees seemed friends with the customers and it felt really cozy.

"What would you like to eat?" A bubbly waitress waited for him to answer as he browsed the menu. He really couldn't decide what to order. Everything in the menu looked mouth-watering! Maybe it was the photography of the products, but still!

"What would you recommend?" He asked the waitress as he was having difficulty in choosing.

"The Mango Sansrival and Chocolate Cheesecakes are our bestsellers!" She cheerfully suggested to him.

_Chocolates._ He wanted to vomit when he heard her say that. He never really liked chocolates. It made him sick, really sick.

During his childhood, he had a stomach pain because he ate a chocolate which might have already expired. But that stopped him from eating chocolates afterwards. He remembered the time when Meyrin gave him chocolates during Valentines' day. He would pretend to appreciate them but he never really ate them.

"I'll have the Mango Sansrival." He told the waitress and handed her back the menu.

The waitress gave him a curt bow and left. In two minutes, she was already back, with his cake. "Here's your Mango Sansrival." Athrun was surprised, he didn't even have time to make a call.

"The service here is incredibly fast." He muttered to himself as the waitress placed the cake on his table. But apparently the waitress heard him and replied. "Why thank you sir. Please enjoy your order."

The cake looked very delicious. There were bits of mangoes that were on top and it looked very appealing to Athrun. But before he could even enjoy his cake, his cell phone rang. The caller id read _Meyrin_, to his dismay. He pressed the ignore button and turned his cell phone off. That girl doesn't really give it up doesn't she? How was he supposed to enjoy his cake?

He found it very irritating that Meyrin kept calling him. She would be calling him during his staff meetings and conferences. Heck she would even be calling him in the middle of the night. He was the type of person that didn't like it when his sleep was disrupted. She also appeared in his condo twice, begging him to take her back. There were times that she waited for him to finish work. What part of 'I don't want to be with you anymore' can she not understand?

She should just go back to that bastard she kissed. He would never take her back, after all that she's done to him. Never! What pissed him off was that she was begging him to take her back but yesterday he saw them at the beerhouse that they went to. It was a good thing that they didn't see him though and left before he lost it.

The taste of the cake was very sweet and delicious all right, but he wasn't able to enjoy it because of his foul mood. He finished up quickly and left a dollar bill on the table.

"Come back again!" The waitresses enthusiastically bid him goodbye. Maybe he would frequent this shop after all. He'd bring Dearka and Yzak with him next time.

As he was about to go to his car, he heard someone from the pastry shop running after him.

"Mister! Wait!" The voice called out to him. "You forgot your change!"

_It's your tip._ He turned to face the person running after him, a blonde girl with amber eyes "You can-" His eyes widened in surprise. This girl… The pretty blonde girl with the amber eyes that he meet in the 'Fun Bar'. It was the girl he slept with. Did she still recognize him?

The look on her eyes told him that she did.

He was pretty sure that she was as surprised as him, because she stopped running midway and froze.

He didn't really know what to say to her. She was supposed to be the one that should be starting to talk. After all, she left his apartment the moment that she woke up.

After many seconds, the blonde girl was finally able to open her mouth and say, "You-you're that ridiculously handsome emerald-eyed sex machine!"

"Eh?"

-o0o-

To be continued! :D Please review!

Additional Notes:

[1]The characters in the washroom scene were characters from Kaichou wa Maid-sama! I do not own them.

[2] "Number 2" means 'pooping or something like that. I'm always asked if I did number 2 when I consume a lot of time in the bathroom.


	4. Reconfirmation

**[Edited 20130806-: Hiiii. It's me again!]**

A/N: Yahoo! Another chapter! Truth to be told, I was done with this chapter last Tuesday. I just wanted to make you guys anticipate like crazy. HAHA. Since it'll be my Christmas break from the 23rd, I might, I repeat, I _might_ update my fics faster than I do during school days. Or maybe I might update them a little slower, because you know. It is a vacation! Hihihi.

Hello Chicken my bff! I posted it na cause you wanted me to! :D

I also noticed that the third chapter of this fic had no title, oh wells. I still haven't thought of a decent title for the chapter. Any suggestions?

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny. I'll buy it from Sunrise when I have money!

Chapter 4: Re-confirmation

-o0o-

"_Shit! I said that out loud!"_ Cagalli covered her mouth in embarrassment when she realized what she just blurted out loud. She barely knew the guy and now she was screaming 'sex machine!' to his face.

What was he doing here anyway? Her pastry shop was located in the most hidden part of the city. Many people didn't know that this pastry shop even existed, well except for the people who lived in the proximity, their family and friends, and regular customers. Was their shop getting more popular?

Or maybe it was because she told him that? Although, she didn't even remember giving him the address of her pastry shop to. She wasn't that drunk to tell this guy in front of her life story. Or was she? Crap. Damn the freaking alcohol!

"Should I take that as a compliment?" This blue-headed guy a.k.a. 'the ridiculously handsome emerald-eyed sex machine' popped her bubble of thoughts. The look on his face told her that what she just said was very much amusing.

"Well, does it sound like a compliment?" She huffed and walked towards him to hand his change. Who the hell leaves a 380 Orb dollar tip anyway? [1] The cake that he ate was only 120 Orb dollars. It seemed like he was in a hurry so she presumed that he just forgot to get it. "Here's your change by the way."

"How should I know?" The emerald-eyed man laughed at her first remark. She's definitely the girl he was with last weekend. "You call me 'ridiculously handsome' and then add that I'm a 'sex machine' so I don't know if you're just being sarcastic with the 'ridiculously handsome'. And by the way, you can keep it the change, Miss Nothing-Happened. It's my tip for the good service and delicious cake." He closed the blonde's palms that held the bills.

She blushed at the sudden contact and quickly pulled her hand away. "That's very generous of you." She placed the change inside the pocket of her uniform. Rejecting this kind of blessing would result a whack on the head from Miriallia. _Stupid are those who don't accept tips! _Her best friend's voice resonated in her head. She didn't even know why Miriallia was so thrifty with money in the first place, it's not like they were living in a shack.

He gave her a light smile. "I didn't know your shop was here. To be honest I was just looking around for a place to eat and found this place." From their drinking session, she told him that she had a pastry shop, but he forgot to ask where the location was so he couldn't visit. It was a good thing that luck was on his side today.

His gaze shifted from the shop and he took a better look of the pretty blonde girl in front of her. Unlike the time he first saw her in a cute dress, she looked too formal today with the white polo, black skirt and heels. Why was she in typical boring office attire unlike the waitresses inside that wore cute and frilly dresses?

"Well, now you know." She gulped, getting uneasy when he continued to look at her. Maybe she should have said no or thought of an excuse. But why would she be running after him with his change if this weren't her shop?

"Then you should also wear those cute dresses that the waitresses are wearing if you work there!" He pointed to the cheerful waitresses inside the pastry shop. Surely she would look cuter in that.

"Why should I wear something like that?" She blushed in embarrassment, which he found cuter than the frilly outfits. "I don't like wearing those kinds of things."

"But a skirt would suffice? Isn't that almost the same as wearing a dress?" He teased her, even though he remembered that she absolutely abhorred girly clothes.

"If you ask me, I wouldn't really want to wear a skirt." She crossed her arms around her chest. "They just pestered me into wearing something that's more feminine since they can't force me in those outfits."

"Who're 'they'?" He asked, getting curious all the more.

"Them of course!" She answered him defensively. "The people working in the shop! They wouldn't let me work if I wasn't wearing a skirt. Heck, I'm their boss!" She pouted.

"They should have pushed it to the limit and force you in the cute outfits." He whispered to himself because he knew that she wouldn't want to hear that.

"Were you saying something?" She asked him because she was sure that she heard him mutter something to himself.

"No. I didn't say anything." He laughed as shrugged it off and clicked the 'unlock' button in his car keys. "Well, I guess I should be going now. Nice seeing you again. I'll drop by soon." He turned to enter his car, not wanting to leave but then again he knew she had to go back to work.

_He's leaving already She_ thought to herself. She didn't even have a chance to tell him what their escapade had led to. "Wait Mister!" She got a hold of his shoulder in panic that she might not see him again soon.

Should she tell him? She should right? After all, he's the cause of all of this! Or maybe she was also at fault? Maybe? Well, she also consented to it anyway. But it's not supposed to be counted if she was drunk. But he was drunk too! Heartbroken at that! It was that inner debate with herself yet again.

_What the heck I'll just tell him already!_

"I'm not the 'ridiculously handsome emerald-eyed sex machine' anymore?" He tried to tease her again when he heard him call him 'Mister'.

"Can you go with me to the hospital?" She asked him and inwardly wished that he'd agreed to it. A cheap pregnancy kit couldn't possibly be a hundred percent accurate! The pregnancy kit might be defective! Who knows? Maybe the nausea, fatigue, and they delay of her period were just coincidences as well. She should go to a real doctor and find out if she is really pregnant or not. It might only be a false alarm.

"The hospital?" Of course he was surprised at the spontaneity of her favor. She didn't even know who he was seconds ago. "Why? Are you sick or something?"

"Maybe?" She wasn't sure of it herself. Delusional perhaps.

"Okay then, I'll take you to the hospital." He went to passenger side and opened the door for her. "Aren't you bringing your bag?" He asked her when he noticed that she was empty-handed.

"No worries." She assured him. "My wallet and my phone are inside my pocket." She tapped her pocket for him to see.

"All right. Get in." He motioned for her to enter, but seeing that she hesitated a bit, he reassured her. "Don't worry. This might be the same car, but I won't violate you like the last time… Well that is unless you want me to." He just had to add that last sentence that made her blush like a tomato.

"Don't do anything perverted! I swear I'll retaliate if you try to do anything stupid!" She gave him a stern threat as she entered into the passenger seat of his car. She can't believe that it was the exact same car where they kissed, groped, moaned and touched…

"Argh! Get out!" She uncontrollably shook her head to force out thoughts of that night. It wasn't easy though, and it felt like this was driving her insane. Maybe she should have took a cab instead?

"But this is my car. Why would you ask me to get out?" He was on the driver's seat, laughing and at the same time pretending to be hurt with what she said.

"No-not you! I meant the car! I meant let's get out of here and hurry to the hospital!" She laughed nervously when he eyed her suspiciously. It was a lame excuse but she didn't really want him to know what was running through her head, especially with thoughts like those…

"As you wish." He smiled at her and started the engine.

Within a few minutes, the pastry shop was out of sight and they were driving through the streets of the city. Her eyes were fixed on the view outside her window, as she was too embarrassed to even look at him. Because when she does, it only rekindled the memories of that fateful night.

"Why do you need to go to the hospital anyway?" He asked her, his eyes not tearing away from the road ahead of them.

"Uhm… I really not sure myself." She answered him, not wanting to elaborate more about her dilemma. "But we need to see an Ob-Gyne and fast!"

"An Ob-Gyne?" Then it struck him. Weren't those kinds of doctors were for people that were pregnant?

"Well…" She started to speak again. "Did… did you use a condom, when we… you know… did it?" She nervously stuttered the words out of her mouth. She couldn't even say the three-letter word out loud.

"No, I didn't." The tone of his voice was just so confident that her mouth gaped wide. As if it was pretty normal for a person, that wasn't married yet, to not use a condom at all. Add to that, he was having sex with a stranger! Wasn't he scared of getting STD or something?

"What do you mean no?" She was in disbelief. This guy was nuts! "You mean you didn't use a condom?" He was joking, right? That was what she wanted to believe, that he was just kidding with her.

"That was what I said, wasn't it?" He chuckled at the girl beside him, not even aware that she was now entering into a mode of panic.

"What kind of human are you?!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Don't you know that normal people use condoms when they have…er…" She paused as she tried to say the three-letter word, but to no avail. "…when two sleep together especially when they aren't even married?!" Sleeping together meant the same right?

"I really don't use condoms." He confessed on the spur of the moment. "I don't roll that way."

"Then you must have pulled out right?" Cagalli was already desperate to hear him say yes. "Right?"

"Hmm… I don't really remember doing that too." His expression still remained relaxed. How could this man stay so calm? Doesn't he realize what he got them into? She really wanted to strangle him right then and there.

"So if you didn't use condoms…" Her spirits were down at the moment. So the positive sign on the pregnancy test was undoubtedly true. "Then I really must be…"

"What? Pregnant?" His hands weren't even leaving the stirring wheel, still unaffected even if she was already freaking out.

"Yes you twit!" Cagalli was losing her temper already. This man was so nonchalant about all this! Well fine, he isn't going to be the one carrying the baby for nine freaking months! He isn't the one with the extremely overprotective brother that could totally murder and go insane. But even so! Just because he's the guy in this situation, it doesn't mean that he should go carefree about all of this.

"Well why didn't you say so?" He made a quick turn that made her lose her heartbeat for a second.

"Are you trying to kill me?" She fumed. If he found out that she was pregnant, and he didn't want to have anything to do with it, the easiest way was to kill her…

"No, calm down. I wasn't trying to kill you. Don't worry." He snickered at the fuming blonde beside him. He had the courage to even do that!

"Then what are you trying to do then?"

"I know a very good Ob-gyne doctor. But the thing is, she isn't available today." He was still in composure. She couldn't believe this guy at all.

"So then where are you taking me?" She asked him when they passed the Orb General Hospital. So they weren't going to the hospital after all.

She wasn't able to get an answer from him because the car suddenly stopped in front of a drugstore. "Wait here." Those were his final words and left her inside his car alone. He was walking to the drug store and didn't even wait for her to respond.

A drugstore…

Oh no…

Her heart was beating faster than it normally should. What was his business with a drugstore? Was he buying medicine that would abort babies? _That's impossible! No drugstore would sell those kinds of illegal stuff. But maybe behind that neat looking drug store is a black market for all the illegal drugs and the sort!_ Is her pregnancy such a hassle for him? _Then again he was driving like a mad man a while ago. Maybe it was one of his tactics to get rid of the baby! If he doesn't want to be responsible for this baby, he could just say so… He doesn't need to kill the innocent baby._

The worst-case scenario.

She wanted to go out of the car already and run for her life. But her feet froze, she couldn't move. What if he comes back and found out that she wasn't there? Would he hunt her down? She was full of trepidation that she remained glued in her seat.

Maybe that handsome man wasn't really a good guy after all.

Before she could even think of getting out of the car, he was now opening the door to the driver's seat.

"Did you wait long?" He buckled his seatbelt and put the plastic bag in between the two of them.

"No-not really." She stuttered nervously and breathed deeply. She knew she had to stand up to protect baby. "Listen, you don't have to do this you know."

"Don't have to do what?" The look on his face told her that he was utterly confused.

"I can take care of the baby alone! If you don't want to be responsible for the baby then you don't have to force yourself! Just don't make me kill the baby! I don't need those medicines that abort babies!" She spat all the words that she needed to say. Whatever he may decide, to be responsible for it or not, it was his choice. She didn't care if he didn't want to. She could do it herself! She was an independent woman!

There was a moment of silence inside the car. When he still wasn't talking, she was getting more and more anxious. She better get out of here and fast! Before he decides to force her to do what he wanted. She looked at him once more and saw that he was trembling. Could he be trembling with anger?

She held her breath when he was about to look at her.

But she didn't get what she expected.

A roar of laughter could be heard coming from the car. He was laughing his heart out with her outburst. What did this girl think of her? Some crazy and perverted murderer? Although it was quite offensive on his part, he couldn't help but think of how funny it was. This girl's imagination was really something.

"Why are you laughing?!" She was getting confused and at the same, irked by this man. She couldn't understand what was going through his head. He was so serious and uncaring a while ago and now he turns into this laughing freak machine. He still didn't answer her question and continued to laugh more until his stomach hurt.

"Because you're so funny." He finally said after he regained his composure. He even wiped the tears that formed in his eyes because he laughed a lot! He didn't remember laughing this much in weeks. What a stress reliever this girl was.

"What's so funny about what I said?" She wanted to whack him on the head already. Who cares if they were in his car? She wanted to beat him up! He was getting to annoying!

"I can't believe you even though of me as a murderer." He laughed again. "Look at what I bought." He pointed to the plastic bag in between them.

She went ahead to lift the bag and place it on her lap. It was very light for something that should contain drugs. When she peered to look at what the plastic contained, and to her surprise, it only contained 10 different packs of pregnancy kits. No drugs for abortion… Her face was beet red with embarrassment. She couldn't even bear to look at him now.

"So?" He tried to tease her. "How could I even kill you or the baby for that matter, with pregnancy kits?"

"Shut up." She threw the plastic bag back to where she got it and stared at the window. How embarrassing! She wanted the world to swallow her alive!

"Okay then. Where will we test you?" It appeared that he wasn't really talking to her, but rather thinking loudly to himself. A few seconds later, he started to drive away from the drugstore.

"We can't possibly do it in the pastry shop." Doing it in her workplace would cause a lot of scandal with the other employees. They'd be too nosy.

"Okay we'll just go to this fast-food restaurant, you test it while I go buy food okay?" He suggested. Pretty soon he was parking his car in one of the empty parking slots.

"Why did you have to buy so many of these?" She asked him, taking out one box from the plastic bag. It was ridiculous! She couldn't even imagine the weird looks that he got when he bought these.

"I told you that the Ob-Gyne doctor that I know isn't available today right? So we just have to make do with those. You'll have 10 kits so we can say whether it's really accurate or not." He pulled up and turned the engine of his car off.

They both went inside Quackdonalds [2] fast-food restaurant. "You go ahead and test yourself. What would you like to eat?" He lined up to the cashier.

"Anything. Whatever you pick is fine." She wasn't in the mood to be happy that someone was treating her. If only the situation was different, she would be jumping for joy that she was getting free food. She walked her way to the bathroom with a heavy sigh. If all 10 of these kits say that it's positive. Then it would be foolish of her to deny it. Besides, she already was feeling the signs.

-o0o-

"So were the results consistent?" He asked her the moment that she joined him on the table.

She could only sigh in response. It was consistent, very much consistent! Every single one of those pregnancy kits showed her that 'positive' sign. It would be a slight relief for her if even one of them said 'negative'. But no, they were all positive. It was very reassuring… not! How would she even tell her brother about this?

"Judging from your 'down in the dumps' expression, positive?" He placed fries and burgers in front of her.

"Positive." She pushed away the food that her offered her. "I lost my appetite."

"That won't do." It surprised her that he insisted that she eat. "Pregnant women should be eating a lot more than they should, because they are feeding two stomachs."

She gave in and started to eat the burger. "How come you're so unaffected by all of this?"

"What do you mean by that?" He took a drink from his soda and urged her to continue.

"You find out that the girl you slept with is pregnant…" She started to say. "Then when I look at you, you seem to be fine with everything. Based from what I see on television, usually other men would get worried. Some would even panic because it's like the pregnancy would jeopardize both of their future or reputation. Some would even try to deny that they're the father of the child. Some would feel happy, but that's because they love their partner. And yet you, you seem like you don't give a damn at all. Still talking to me like it's a normal thing. I'm really confused."

"Then how would you want me to react?" He asked her.

"I have no idea at all." She answered bluntly.

He put his burger down and started to talk. "It's not like I don't care. The truth is, I am kind of worried. No scratch that, I'm really worried. You know, I acted rashly that night and then this becomes the consequence of it." The look on his eyes told her that he was sincere. She didn't say anything and urged him to continue.

"I won't deny that the baby isn't mine. I don't see it as a bother and something that would jeopardize my career. As a matter of fact, I'm okay with it. My mom also has been bugging me for grandchildren already. But because you have the burden of keeping that for 9 months and I presume that you're family still doesn't know about this, I'll let you decide what you want to do. Then I'll support and respect your decision. If you want to keep it, then I'll try to be the best father that I can. If you don't, I understand." It was like he was saying his ultimatum to her.

Even though she didn't expect him to say that at all, it was exactly the words that she needed and wanted to hear. She was relieved that she wasn't going to be in this situation alone.

She inhaled deeply, swallowing all the uncertainty that she had. "I want to keep it. I want to take care of it." She said to him.

A warm smile was on his features then. "Then I'll try my best as well." He got hold of her hand and squeezed it lightly.

"But I have one question to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Are you sure that I was the only one you slept with?" She wasn't sure if he was kidding with her, but it sure was offensive.

With that, he finally got the whack on the head. "What do you think of me? A whore? Of course you're the only one!" He was making her angry again. But when she thought about it, the way she said it, was like a love confession of some sort. What the heck was with that 'only one'?

He had both of his hands in his head, caressing the part where she just whacked him. That sure would leave a mark. "I was just joking you know. You didn't have to hit me so hard."

"Serves you right." She stuck her tongue out and continued to eat.

"By the way, this is really stupid, but can I ask you a question?" He carefully tried not to make her enraged.

"That was stupid. You already asked me a question." She huffed and continued to enjoy her food.

"Fine." He nodded. It was stupid indeed, just like the first time they met. "Can I ask you another question after I ask this question?"

"Now you're being specific!" She beamed and put her burger down to listen to him. "Okay, go ask."

"What's your name?"

"Huh?" Say what?

"I said, what's your name?"

"You mean to tell me that you still don't know my name?" She couldn't believe him. He was dragging her to every part of the city without even asking her that essential question.

"Well it's not like you know my name." He defended himself.

"I have a name for you! I called you the 'ridiculously handsome emerald-eyed sex machine' remember?" She retorted.

"Even though it says 'ridiculously handsome', it's a very long name. Are you sure you wouldn't want to call me that every single time? Your saliva will dry out." He laughed. "Even if you make an acronym, it would still be six syllables."

"Fine! I'm Cagalli." She reached out her hand to him. "And you are?"

"Athrun." He shook hands with hers.

"Nice meeting you." She didn't know what to say any more.

"I'm very flattered that you find me ridiculously handsome, _Cagalli_." He loved the way her name sounded and the way it came out of his lips.

"Don't flatter yourself too much _Athrun_." Unlike him, it was more like she spat out his name from her mouth. This bastard is so egoistic.

"How could I not when a pretty girl like you calls me handsome? So tell me, what part of me is?" He joked and couldn't help but push it further. "Everything?"

"Yes exactly." She sarcastically answered him. The bastard was also trying to flatter her, calling her pretty and all. Although it made her a bit flustered and happy… What the hell? It made her happy? It did not Cagalli Hibiki. It did not make her happy and fluttery inside. Or maybe just a bit. "All your features are perfectly perfect." She made it sound like a very sarcastic tone even if she partly meant it.

"Really?"

"Yes really."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yes I mean that."

"So that's why you couldn't take your hands off me that night." He teased her. Her blushing face was really something.

Her face turned red at his remark. He was really trying to drain the blood out of her, with of all this teasing of his. So this guy's really a pervert after all. "Shut up you Athrun perverted freak!" She threw her empty cup of juice at him. "I'm thirsty. I command you to get me a drink."

"Yes ma'am. Right away." He stood up and went to the counter.

Athrun smiled. Ditching work today was sure a good decision. Life would sure get exciting now.

-o0o-

Tadaaa! An AsuCaga love love filled chapter. Only the two of them and no one else! I had fun writing this. Review. ;) Again if there are errors, yeah please tell me.

Additional notes:

[1] Since I can't think of what currency to use, I'll be inventing one myself. HAHAHA.

[2] I'm very sorry for the name of the fast-food restaurant. I really couldn't think of anything else. Hihi.


	5. Tell the Truth

A/N: I am so in love with this story that I neglect my school work for it. Bad! I know! But I can't help it. Hihi. But since I have two long tests on the 20th (accounting and history) and some partying to do on the 21st and 22nd, I might update on the 23rd or 24th.

"Poppin bottles in the ice, like a blizzard!" – Currently writing while listening to "Like a G6" on repeat.

Enough of Author's notes! Chapter 5 time!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 5: Tell the truth

-o0o-

Today was a very stressful day for Cagalli. More stressful than what she had experienced in college. Back in those days, she'd be locked in her room all day finishing her thesis and other sorts of analysis papers. She would be preparing for her marketing reports and such. It didn't help that her other professors dumped a lot of readings that needed to be studied. She felt like a living zombie everyday that only got three hours of sleep a day. Having six to eight hours of sleep was a luxury that she could only dream of.

But what she was encountering now was beyond any stressful moments of the past lumped together. Pregnant was a very huge word for her now. She never knew that it made so much impact on her now. A baby, she was going to have a baby. It was really uncalled for. A baby that she would be taking care of until it would reach an age that it was ready to take care of itself.

She was unsure if she was lucky or not. Athrun Zala, the man that came into her life that one night. The man that would be a significant part of her life for many years to come, she was sure of that. At the young age of 26, being one of the executive officers of one of the most prestigious fragrance companies is really impressive. As promising as his career may sound, to Cagalli, it would mean nothing if he was like other rich men. He may be a Casanova, hitting on different girls because he has the looks and the cash to back it up.

Was he really serious when he said that he would take responsibility of his actions? Or was he like the men that Cagalli frequently watched on television, men who would pay the women a large sum of money so that their reputation wouldn't be scarred.

Kira was another problem. How the hell would she be able to tell her overly-protective brother that she was pregnant? Telling him that she broke up with Shinn was so hard for her to do. Being pregnant was already bad enough, but being impregnated by another man was worse. She could already imagine her brother blowing up like a volcano and beating up Athrun into a pulp. That would be the worst case scenario.

"What are you thinking about?" Athrun asked her while she was immersed in her own thoughts. They were currently on their way back to the pastry shop. If it were up to Cagalli, she would be catching a bus back to the shop. But because Athrun was so insistent, saying that a pregnant woman shouldn't be riding unsafe vehicles like the bus, she ended up in the passenger seat of his car.

"Nothing." She answered bluntly. She was in no mood to answer him right now.

"Then why are you in such deep thought if you're thinking about nothing?" He tried to make her answer his question. He knew that her mind was preoccupied.

"I'm just worried." She confessed to him. "No scratch that, I'm feeling very strained right now. How can I even tell Kira about this?"

"Who's Kira?"

"My 'overly protective and sometimes annoying' brother."

He didn't mind replying to what she said. He knew just what kind of stress he put her through. Now he was feeling guilty of what he did. 'I'll you home' was just an excuse that he used so that he could spend more time with her. But then he didn't expect himself to be so horny that he actually slept with someone he barely knew. Damn his sex hormones.

It just happened that during that night, he didn't have any condoms with him. What luck. But it wasn't like he used condoms frequently. If it could be helped, he wouldn't use any. He didn't like the feeling of it stuck in his skin. Like what he said to her a while ago, 'I don't roll that way.'

But he couldn't help but feel excited about all of this. It sounds so immoral but that was what he partly felt. All his life, he strived to be the good son that his parents would be proud of. A model student for his teachers and classmates. A brilliant executive officer for his company. A perfect boyfriend for Meyrin. He never did anything on the spur of moment; everything would be perfectly planned out. That was why he couldn't help but to look forward to what would be happening next.

Athrun made a turn into the street of Cagalli's pastry shop. He stopped in front of the shop's door and hurriedly went out to open Cagalli's door.

The look on Cagalli's face when she went out of his car made him feel really bad. Worry was drawn all over her face.

"Don't worry." He smiled at her reassuringly. "I'll help you."

Even with the smile and the words that he gave her, she couldn't help but feel vexed. But he seemed sincere so she decided that it would be better to lighten up a little.

"Thanks." She nodded. "And also, thanks for the ride."

"No problem. Just call me if you need me." He gave her a pat on the shoulder. "You have my number right?"

"Yes I do." She answered.

"Then I'll be going now." He went back inside his car and revved up his engine.

She waved at him while he drove away. When Athrun's car was out of sight, she sighed to herself. Although he says that she shouldn't worry, it really was hard not to. She entered the shop through the shop entrance and was surprised that Miriallia and some of the employees were crowding near the door.

At first Cagalli thought that they were just having their breaks, but she noticed that all of their eyes were onto her. It wasn't very comfortable for her.

"What's wrong?" She asked all of them, trying to act like everything's normal.

"Don't you 'what's wrong' us!" Miriallia pointed a finger at her accusingly. "We saw you!"

_They saw me and Athrun_. She thought. "Saw me doing what?" She pretended to act innocent, although it didn't work for her this time.

"Oh come on Cagalli!" Miriallia sighed when her best friend attempted to act all innocent. "We saw you go in and out of that hot guy's car! The guy that ate here a while ago! Come on spill!"

"Hot guy?" Athrun was attracting a lot of attention. Of course he was. How could he not? Even Cagalli, the girl who rarely finds males good-looking, thinks so too. 

"Yes! The hot guy I served!" Shirley, [1] one of the waitresses squealed.

"You're so lucky that you got to be the one to serve him!" Kallen pouted in frustration. She also found the navy blue-haired man gorgeous.

"So why did you go inside his car?" Cagalli thought that she could escape being on the spotlight, but Miriallia prevented her from doing so.

"B-b-because…" Cagalli tried to find the right words to say to them.

"So is he your new boyfriend?" Milly, the blonde girl asked her, looking a bit jealous.

"Bo-boyfriend?" She was in a big trouble here. "He's not my boyfriend!" It wasn't like she was lying.

"Then why did he give you a pat on the shoulder a while ago?" Shirley raised her eyebrows at her.

"Because he's not my boyfriend!" Cagalli was getting pissed. All of the employees here are her friends, but she didn't like it when she was in the hot seat. She preferred being the one that kept asking personal questions. Not the other way around! "He was one of my college friends. So he treated me ice cream. That's it." She was lying of course. She didn't want anymore people to know until she told her brother first.

"Oh okay! You're so lucky to have a hot friend like him!" Milly was pretty convinced and went back to work.

"Introduce me to him next time okay?" Shirley requested before she went outside to serve the customers.

Miriallia was the only one who wasn't deceived by Cagalli's stories. She's been together with Cagalli for ten years already. They also studied in the same university and high school. It was the first time that she saw that navy blue-haired, so she knew immediately that she was lying.

She tried to catch Cagalli's eyes and when she did, she gave her knowing look. _Tell me later._ Cagalli nodded and went to her office to continue working. Miriallia was relieved that Cagalli didn't try to keep anything from her and also resumed her work as the shop's head chef.

-o0o-

"So do you mind telling me what happened a while ago? Where exactly have you been?" Those were Miriallia's first words as the shop was closed for the day. She was walking together with Cagalli to the train station.

"Well, you see," Cagalli paused to slip the train ticket in the scanner so that she could pass through. Miri was right behind her, listening to every word that she uttered.

"What? Continue what you were saying Cags." The auburn-haired girl urged her continue. Her curiosity was killing her already! She had to wait until they closed the shop before they could even talk about it.

"It was Athrun, the man that I met in the bar when I was being all sulky." She answered her while they stood in the edge of the rails, patiently waiting for the train.

"You mean during the time Shinn broke up with you?" Miriallia wanted to clarify it with her first.

"Yes Miri. You don't have to rub it in." She sighed. Nowadays, she got irked when people say 'Shinn' and 'break up' in the same sentence. Sure she accepted the fact that she was cheated on. But still, she wasn't over him just yet and any reminder of him wasn't really necessary at all.

"Oh sorry." Miri tried to lighten the mood and laughed apologetically. "So why did you ride his car? I last saw you when you chased down the guy when he left his change on the table. Then Shirley and the others were whispering amongst themselves that you rode some hot guy's car. And yes, I know you lied when you told them that he was an old friend of yours."

"It was a good thing that he recognized me when I called out to him." She paused as the train stopped in front of them. They got in and Cagalli continued with her story. "Since I really wanted to be sure whether I was pregnant or not, I asked him if he could come with me to the hospital-"

"He accompanied you when he knew that he impregnated you?" Miriallia said in a loud voice that people inside the train started to look at them suspiciously.

"Can you please keep quiet?" Cagalli covered her mouth and shushed her.

She finally removed her hands from Miriallia's mouth and her friend apologized again. "I'm really sorry about that. But anyway, he's a pretty good guy if he even took you to the hospital."

"But then he didn't take me to the hospital." Cagalli ruined Miriallia's first impressions about Athrun. At first when Cagalli told her that he agreed to take her to the hospital, she found him so responsible and like a gentleman. When Cagalli rebutted and told her that he didn't take her to the hospital, she suddenly thought of her as an irresponsible man.

"What? But why?" Miriallia asked her friend.

"Because he said that he knew a good Ob-gyne doctor, but she was on leave, so he took me to the drugstore instead." She answered.

"I don't understand how you could find an Ob-gyne in a drugstore." Miriallia was confused now.

"Of course we didn't go there for that purpose!" She shot at Miriallia, causing a lot of people to look at them again. She felt much more embarrassed when Miriallia was the one that was shushing her. "He was so silly. He bought a lot of pregnancy kits." She said in a low tone, omitting the part when she thought of Athrun as someone who wanted to abort a baby. She would never tell Miriallia that, for she would also be laughing her heart out if ever she didn't.

"He bought a lot? Seriously?" Cagalli swore that Miriallia was trying not to laugh at her, but she wouldn't get mad if she didn't. It surely was ridiculous. If it was another time and she wasn't pregnant, she would also be rolling on the floor laughing. "So he wants to make 100 percent sure huh?"

"Although it was really dumb of him to do so, considering his credibility and all, I think he also wanted to make sure as soon as he knew of it." Cagalli hung on to the pole near the door when the train halted at a station.

"That's reasonable." Miriallia agreed. "So what did he say when all of the pregnancy kits were positive?"

"He didn't really say anything. He wasn't really surprised himself that it was positive. That bastard didn't even bother to use a condom on me, or even pull out of me for that matter." Cagalli was getting annoyed when she remembered the two of them talking in the car, with him being all uncaring.

"Then why didn't you tell him to use a condom?" Miriallia held her bag closer to her when more people started to enter the train.

"I felt so drunk and turned on back then. I remember telling him to 'remove my dress' not 'put a condom, okay?'" She lowered her voice when an old lady stood near the two of them.

"Cagalli, that handsome Athrun guy is a man. I repeat, a man. A man of course has raging sex hormones. Considering that you two had a large intake of alcohol, do you expect him to be less turned on than you were?" It was a rhetorical question. Damn Miriallia and her logic for these kinds of things.

"What about Kira?" Miriallia asked her.

"What about Kira?" Cagalli repeated Miriallia's question. What did she mean by that?

"What was his reaction when you told him that you're pregnant? Did he go ballistic and start strangling your handsome Athrun until he turned blue?"

"I haven't told him yet." Cagalli sighed worriedly. That was what was bothering her the whole day. How, oh how could she tell her brother Kira about it?

"What? He still doesn't know? You should tell him!" Miriallia persuaded her. She knew Cagalli's brother too well. She remembered Kira stalking Cagalli during the first few months of going out with Shinn and he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and tried to beat Shinn when he tried to kiss her beloved sister.

"I know I should! I just chicken out when every opportunity arises." She protested, she tried to tell him this morning but failed. "It's just so hard to tell him!"

"You should tell him before he finds out himself. Kira might get super duper mad at you if you didn't tell him yourself." Miriallia emphasized the word _super_.

"But-" Cagalli tried to reason but she knew that Miriallia was right.

"Do you want him to be angry at you?" Miriallia raised her eyebrows at her.

"Of course not! Fine! I'll tell him later!" Cagalli sighed. She has to tell him, after all Kira was her brother, one of the most important people in her life.

"Good luck with that." Miriallia wasn't the slightest bit sarcastic with what she said. She meant that honestly. "Here's my stop, see you tomorrow." She gave Cagalli a light hug and went out the moment the door of the train opening.

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow." Cagalli waved at Miriallia's retreating figure.

When the train left the station, Cagalli started to think about how she would tell Kira about her pregnancy. Should she first start with saying that Shinn broke up with her because he was cheating on her behind her back? That was a very dangerous start. But maybe Kira would be too fumed to find out that Shinn broke up with her, that he would sympathize with her. Then she would tell him that she went to a bar to drink, slept with a man she had just met and end up getting pregnant.

Scratch that. Telling him that she had a one night stand with Athrun was like adding fuel to the fire. He would be so much in a wrath if she told him that. When she got home after the one night stand with Athrun, she told him that she was with Shinn. He would be so much exasperated with Athrun than he already was with Shinn. So maybe she should omit Shinn from the story.

But then if she did that, Kira would be infuriated at the thought of her twin sister cheating on Shinn. He would maybe even side Shinn. Kira did not like it when people are being dishonest when they are in a relationship.

"_Crap."_ Cagalli was panicking. Either way, Kira would know that Shinn broke up with her and Athrun made her pregnant.

She then realized that she feared Kira getting mad at her for not being honest with him all the more rather than Kira getting mad at her for sleeping with a random guy and getting herself pregnant.

She decided what she had to do.

She would tell him the truth, even if she was afraid of what the outcome might be.

-o0o-

When she arrived home, she was relieved to find that Kira was still at work. Cagalli still had time to recompose herself. She went into her room and changed into a loose t-shirt and shorts.

Deciding that she didn't want to stall any longer, she waited for Kira at their living room. She snuggled in their couch and turned on the television, trying to relax herself.

The channel that she was watching featured two high school students that were dating. They really love each other even when there were many obstacles like school and people around them.

"_Nicole!" The high school guy said to her. "Let's run away together!"_

"_Are you sure about this?" The girl looked so unsure._

"_Of course! I'll take care of you! Don't worry!"_

The couple ran away and ended up in a motel where they obviously had sex. Few days later, the parents of the girl searched for the two of them. They dragged the girl back home and realized that she kept on throwing up.

"_What's the matter with you?" The girl's father was infuriated with his daughter's actions lately._

They later realized that the girl was pregnant.

_Click._ Cagalli changed the channel, she was already perplexed on whether she was going to tell her brother her not and this show wasn't helping. She browsed the channels and finally stopped on one where his brother and she usually watch.

"_Breaking news about the most talked about superstar today!"_ The news anchor announced. _"Rumor has it that the Hollywood Amanda Starling has been found walking out of an abortion clinic looking so down in the dumps! Could this mean that she's pregnant?"_

"Argh!" Cagalli clicked on to the next channel. It was a music channel. "At least there's nothing about pregnancy here."

The song that was about to be featured was by Cagalli's favorite band, 'Afternoon Tea Time'. [2] It seems like it was their new song. Cagalli turned up the volume a bit. The lead singer, Mio, started to sing.

"_The words you said to me a long time ago,_

_Was it really just a lie?_

_Oh how could you?_

_That one night I thought your love was real_

_But you weren't there when I woke up! _

_The only thing that reminded me of you is this baby-"_

Cagalli pressed the 'off' button of the remote and placed the remote of the television on the table with a loud thud.

"You have got to be kidding me!" She wanted to destroy their television. Even the television wanted to rub it in her face! The nerve of that inanimate and electricity-dependent object! It really wasn't helping in lightening up her mood. In fact, it was making her much more nervous than she was when she arrived home.

"Milk. That would make me calm down a bit." She figured and stood up to go to the kitchen. But before she could even exit the living room, the door opened, revealing Kira in his business attire.

"Hey Cags." He greeted her. "I'm back."

"K-Kira! W-welcome back!" She stuttered. Impeccable timing! Just as she was about to lose her sanity, Kira returns home and makes her feel like she'd die out of anxiety.

"Did I scare you or something?" Kira asked her as he removed her shoes.

"No! Not really! You just surprised me!" She murmured to herself, but it was audible enough for Kira to hear.

"Sorry about that." He chuckled and went inside the kitchen. "Did you eat dinner already?"

"Yeah I did." She gulped nervously. Will she tell him now? "What about you?"

"Yep. Just before I got here." He grinned. He opened their fridge and got a bottle of water.

She stared at him, unable to even say a word. "_Kira might get super duper mad at you if you didn't tell him yourself."_ Miriallia's words echoed in her mind.

"_I'll tell him now!"_ Cagalli thought to herself. _"It's now or never!"_ She went beside him and handed him an empty glass. "Here."

"Thanks." He got the glass and poured water for him to drink.

"Kira, I need to tell you something important." Cagalli confessed to him. _"Just say it already! Say it!"_

"What is it?" Kira placed the glass in the sink and faced her.

She gulped nervously for the second time. He seemed to be in a good mood today. Maybe she should tell him another time? No! She had to tell him now! Or else she wouldn't be able to tell him again!

As Cagalli was having an inward fight with herself, Kira's phone rang. "Wait Cagalli, its Lacus. I have to answer this call first." He excused himself and answered his phone.

"Yes Lacus?" His smile was reaching his ears already! Cagalli was sure that Lacus was the one for his brother.

She stood in front of Kira, nervously watching him as he conversed with his girlfriend. It was one of the normal topics, 'When are you free for dinner' and the sort. But suddenly his eyes widened with what Lacus said. Kira's lovey dovey face, his look whenever he was with Lacus, was now gone.

"Really?" He asked her again, unable to believe what Lacus said.

After a few nods, Kira said goodbye to Lacus. He clicked the 'end call' and turned to Cagalli. "It seems like Lacus' cousin, Meer, is pregnant. Can you believe it? Meer isn't even married to the guy!"

"_What the hell? Why did Lacus have to call when I was about to tell him?"_ She panicked inwardly. Now Kira would really get mad if she told him. "She is?" She pretended to be shock. Again, what an impeccable timing.

"Yeah. People these days don't give a damn about pre-marital sex." Kira sighed. "Look what it got them into."

"Right." Cagalli nodded. She decided that it was not the time to tell Kira. "I think I'll go to bed now."

"Wait a minute. So what was it that you wanted to tell me?" _"Crap! He still remembers it!"_ She was in a pinch right now.

"Nothing! It was nothing. Just forget it!" She laughed nervously and tried to get out of the kitchen.

"But you said it was 'something important'." Kira raised his eyebrows at her. "Come on sis, you're hiding something."

"It was nothing! Really! Nothing!" She flailed her arms around to convince Kira, but whatever she was doing, it wasn't really working.

"Tell me." His voice was filled with curiosity.

"_What should I do?"_ Her heart was racing so fast and she couldn't breathe anymore.

Then on impulse, she said. "I have a new boyfriend."

Kira's eyes widened again, the second time he got home. "Really? What happened to you and Shinn?"

"Well… I'm not attracted to him anymore…" She responded.

"What? But why did you replace him with a new one all of a sudden?" He asked her in disbelief.

"Because he's the one that I really love! I don't want to fool myself any longer." She blushed, partly because it was too embarrassing to be saying that stuff, even if they were lies.

"Aww sis!" Kira hugged her sister tightly. "I always knew that Shinn wasn't the one for you!" He let go of her and patted her shoulder. "I really don't like him for you!"

"Really?" She pretended to be happy with his words, but it was really offensive in some way. So Kira didn't really like Shinn in the first place, that's why he never tried to hang out with him.

"Yes really!" He nodded. "I don't like how rubbish spits out of his mouth. I mean seriously, the guy's so vulgar."

"There! I told you already!" Cagalli tried to excuse herself from making anymore lies. "I'm going to bed!"

"Wait!" He grabbed her wrist. "You have to introduce him to me!"

"What? Why?" She was taken aback; she thought she was already safe.

"Because I'm your brother!" He insisted. "That's why you have to tell me!"

"Fine! Next time!" She rushed to the stairs but Kira ran after her.

"I want to meet him this weekend okay? Tell him!" He let her go up to her bedroom.

She went inside her bedroom and closed the door. Instead of being relieved, she couldn't help but leaned onto the door and pull her hair out. Why didn't she just tell Kira the truth? That could have been so much easier. But no, she chose to lie and now look at the result. Athrun wasn't even her boyfriend. _Boyfriend._ The thought of it makes Cagalli so embarrassed.

She reached out for her phone and lay down on the bed. She opened up the phonebook and searched for his name.

_Athrun Zala._

"_Just call me if you need me."_

Without any hesitation, she pressed the 'call' button and placed her phone beside her ears.

A voice from the other line answered after a few rings. _"Hello?"_

-o0o-

End of chapter 5! Review!

I also might be updating _**Melody of the Past**_ and _**Meyrin's Attempt**_.

Additional Notes:

[1] The waitresses are characters from Code Geass. I do not own them.

[2] 'Afternoon Tea Time' is the name of the K-on band. I do not own them.


	6. Clash! Freedom Vs Justice

A/N: I'm on break! Yahoo! That's means, I'm on break! HAHAHA. Okay that didn't make any sense at all.

Hello chicken, ronnababes, paudaddy and kathmeowmeow. (Those are not their real names HAHAHA)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 6: Clash! Freedom Vs Justice

-o0o-

"Tell me again why I have to meet with your brother?" Athrun asked the blonde lady beside him. It was a sunny afternoon in the city of Orb and the two of them were walking towards the restaurant where Athrun would meet Cagalli's brother. The two of them could easily be mistaken as a couple, but then-

"Because you said you would help me you dumbass! Don't forget that you also agreed to it." Cagalli shouted at him. Right, no sane girlfriend would be cursing her superbly handsome boyfriend like that.

"Fine, fine." He agreed. It was no use arguing with this fiery blonde. But then again he said he would help her, not help her lie about her pregnancy. As much as he wanted to help, he hated meeting people he barely knew and those that didn't have anything to do with money or other assets. Blind dates were so off his list. That's right. Athrun Zala only meets with people that would benefit their company. He sighed as he remembered the phone call she made during the weekdays.

_Athrun Zala loved relaxing in his couch, watching a random horror movie with a cup of vanilla ice cream in his hands. As soon as the climax of the movie was about to unfold, his phone suddenly rang._

"_Hello?" He lowered the volume of the television as the main character screamed for her bloody life._

"_Hello, is this Athrun Zala?" A girl's voice could be heard over the other line._

"_No." He smirked. So it was Cagalli. She called a bit too soon. Athrun tried to mess with her. "I'm his boyfriend! We just had the time of our lives a while ago, he's sleeping right now. Do you want me to give your message when he wakes up from his beauty sleep?" He made the pitch of his voice higher than it should have been._

"_Yes, please pass him my message." Cagalli answered him. "Can you hit him in the head and tell him to stop joking around the moment he wakes up from his dreamland?" Athrun withdrew his cell phone away from his ears, her voice was too loud. It might break his eardrums._

"_What? I'm sorry." He chuckled. So she figured out sooner than he had expected her too. "What are you calling me for? Do you miss me already? We just spent the whole afternoon together." He tried to tease her._

"_Sh-shut up!" Cagalli stuttered from the other line, which made Athrun laugh. So she stutters when she's nervous. "Don't be ridiculous! I just have a favor to ask from you!"_

"_Tell me dear princess." He switched off his television and placed the empty cup of vanilla ice cream on the table._

"_Can you not call me princess?" She huffed from the other line._

"_Why not?"_

"_Because I said so!" _

"_How very commanding of you, princess." He emphasized the last word, much to Cagalli's frustration._

"_Fine. Call me whatever you want. Just do this favor I ask of you." She gave up already? That wasn't much of a challenge._

"_So what's your favor princess? Just ask me, your very noble knight, and I will do my best to comply with your wishes." _

"_Fancy talk." He heard her say from the other line. "Anyway, are you free this Saturday?"_

"_Are you asking me on a date?" He couldn't help but feel flattered._

"_In your dreams." Her reply sent him feeling a bit disappointed. "So are you?"_

_Might as well answer. He thought. "Yeah. I am."_

"_Then if it's okay with you," She paused for a moment. "I'll introduce you to my brother."_

"_Your overly protective brother?" He asked her. "So what was his reaction when you told him?"_

"_I haven't told him yet." She answered meekly._

"_What? Why?" He wondered. Then why was she asking him to meet her brother if she hasn't even told him._

"_Err… I chickened out and I ended up lying to him." She confessed._

"_Then where did 'introducing me to your brother' come into the picture?" What did Cagalli possibly say?_

"_I-I-I…" She had difficulty in speaking. "I… I… I… said…"_

"_You said?" He urged her to continue._

"_I…I… s-said."_

"_Hmm?"_

"_I told him that you're my boyfriend." She spat the words out._

_Athrun's eyes widened. "Boyfriend?" He repeated. How amusing. He couldn't help but laugh out loud at Cagalli's words._

"_What?" She asked defensively. "It's not like I want you to be, you know…" Her voice trailed off._

"_Okay." He cheerfully agreed._

"_Okay what?" Cagalli asked him._

"_I said, okay, I'll meet up with your brother."_

"_Oh…" She never thought that it was that easy. "I'll just call you again for the time and place. Thanks…"_

"_Welcome! Then let's be lovey dovey in front of your brother!" He suggested._

"_Pervert." She hung up on him._

"_Boyfriend huh?" he mused to himself._

That was how he ended up together with the blonde beside him. Albeit he was looking forward to getting to know Cagalli more because he found her so interesting, he still didn't want to meet with her brother. Athrun didn't want to imagine what her brother would do to him if they already confessed that she was pregnant.

"We're here!" Cagalli finally stopped in front of Azul, Kira's favorite restaurant. She took one final deep breath before entering the restaurant. But before she could even go in, she felt her hand being grasped by the man beside her.

"Wha-what do you think you're doing?" Her eyes widened at the horror. Athrun was holding her hand, her bloody hand!

"Well didn't you say that I was your boyfriend?" Athrun questioned her with that perverted smirk on his face. "We should act like a couple in front of your brother right?" In a matter of seconds, Athrun's fingers intertwined with Cagalli's. "Cause the spaces in between your fingers are where mine fit perfectly." He winked at her, causing her face to become beet red.

Cagalli blushed furiously at Athrun's hasty move. This was the fourth time that she ever held hands with a boy. Well the first and second one was from her dad and Kira. The third one was from Shinn. But compared to Shinn's rough hands, his hands were so smooth and warm, like a baby's. He didn't even grip her hand; he was holding it like it was delicate and fragile. She didn't deny that it made her feel less nervous that he was holding her hand.

"Shall we go inside?" Athrun interrupted her train of thoughts and was now walking ahead of her, with his hand still on hers.

They got inside and Cagalli started to search for her brother, but it wasn't as hard as she expected to because she saw a streak of long pink hair, Lacus'.

"_What is Lacus doing here?"_ Cagalli thought. She didn't know that Kira also invited Lacus to meet Athrun. Cagalli liked Lacus of course, but her presence her is making her much more nervous. Lacus was like Miriallia, she could spot if someone was lying to her. This was not going to be easy.

"Did you find your brother already?" Athrun asked her as he also searched for him inside the restaurant. If it was Cagalli's twin brother they were looking for, then maybe he was also blonde. Maybe he was a boy version of Cagalli.

"Yeah I think I found them." Cagalli pointed her index finger to the direction where Kira and Lacus were.

"Wait a minute, you mean to tell me that your brother's not blonde?" He couldn't help but ask her. It was the first time that he saw twins that had different hair color. "Did he just dye that hair of his?"

"You idiot!" She whispered so that Kira wouldn't hear her. "Of course not! That's his natural hair color!"

"Then you dyed yours?" The question caused Cagalli's eyebrow to twitch. He expected her to scream at her again.

But to his surprise, Cagalli was actually smiling. Well, if you count a plastered smile. "Of course not dear! It's also natural." She laughed. It was a fake laugh. Athrun soon realized that her brother was walking towards them.

"Cagalli! Hey!" Kira gave her a big hug. Athrun soon realized that even though they had different eye and hair colors, they pretty much looked alike. After Kira gave her a hug, he turned his attention to Athrun. "You must be the lucky guy!" He reached out his hand for Athrun to shake.

Athrun let go of Cagalli's hand and shook Kira's. "Nice to meet you. My name's Athrun Zala." That may have been so formal because he received a death glare from Cagalli. He got used to meeting with clients that he forgot that it was Cagalli's brother.

"Athrun Zala? By any chance, have we met before?" Kira asked him.

"No, I've never seen you before." He answered bluntly and Cagalli was inwardly pulling her hair out. Act normal Athrun!

But thankfully Kira didn't mind and even motioned them to sit down. "This is my girlfriend, Lacus."

"Hello Athrun." She smiled at him and also stood up to give Cagalli a light hug.

"Hi." Athrun greeted her with more casually this time.

"So shall we order?" Kira handed the two of them the menu.

"Thanks." Cagalli muttered under her breath. She couldn't help but feel so nervous. Athrun better not blow their cover off.

"So," Kira started to speak as soon as they all gave their orders to the waiter. "Since when have you too started dating?"

"I'm also curious to know." Lacus smiled at Cagalli. "Kira called me right after you told him that you had a new boyfriend."

Cagalli was taken aback by this question. She was so not prepared for it. Of course they would ask how they met and the sort! "W-well w-we…" Cagalli tried to find the right words but couldn't. "W-we…"

Athrun, who was currently sitting beside her, started to laugh at her. Cagalli gave him a sharp glare. How dare he laugh at her? She wanted to hit him with a frying pan on the head. He was supposed to be helping her and yet he was laughing at her!

But then he was surprised when he got a hold of her chin and titled her face to his direction. "Cagalli princess, why do you always get so embarrassed when people ask us that?" He was stalling; he also needed time to think about what they should say. It should be convincing and realistic.

"Bu-but I'm not!" She tried to deny it. But she stuttered as Athrun touched her chin. This guy was touching her too much today! "Don't call me princess!"

"You're so cute." Athrun gave her a pinch on the cheek.

"Aww! The two of them are so lovey dovey!" Lacus squealed at the sight of the couple in front of them being so affectionate with each other.

"Come on, tell us already!" Kira urged Cagalli to continue talking. "Lacus and I are dying to know!"

"During college, I was Cagalli's upperclassman in tennis club. I couldn't help but notice how cute she was, so I always approached her and challenged her to a tennis match as often as I could. I liked the fact that she never gives up and tries so hard to win every single time. Because of that, I wanted to try and ask her out on a date." The lies were flawlessly coming out of his mouth.

Cagalli's eyes widened at Athrun's words. How the hell did he know that she was in the tennis club? Could he really have been from her university and on the same club? If he was, she would notice him. A man like him would definitely attract a lot of attention. He looked at her knowingly and urged her to back him up, but all she could say was, "Yes, Athrun was really cool."

"But I didn't get the opportunity to ask because Cagalli had a boyfriend at the start of her junior year. Even then, I made sure that I always talked to her during our club hours. You could tell how lonely I was when I graduated, because I was a year ahead of her." The expression on his face changed into a frown. This guy was a good actor!

Kira and Lacus kept on nodding so Athrun continued on with his charade. "We made contact after graduation and I found out that Cagalli started her own business and opened up her own pastry shop. I wanted to support her pastry shop so I came there as often as I could. I also gave her gifts as a sign of my undying love for her."

"I was touched by his efforts, really. Shinn never did anything that thoughtful to me, and I had to admit I was happier when with Athrun. So I realized that he was really the one for me." She felt stupid that she didn't have anything to say at all. Cagalli prayed that Kira and Lacus wouldn't suspect anything.

"So Cagalli, why didn't you tell us about him?" Kira raised his eyebrow.

"Well because, I thought you liked Shinn for me." She nervously answered.

"You should have told us!" Lacus chimed in.

"I wanted to make sure before I told you guys. I'm sorry." She bowed apologetically to both Kira and Lacus.

"It's okay sis! I'm happy for you!" Kira gave her a light pat on the shoulder.

Soon enough, their orders came. Cagalli couldn't help but look at Athrun as they ate. He seemed so calm and composed, contrast to what she was feeling, anxiety and stress. Kira and Lacus looked so sweet feeding each other, which Cagalli sometimes was uncomfortable to see.

That's why she sometimes disliked eating or even hanging out with just the two of them. She felt like a third wheel, even though they talked to her and stuff. But the thing is, they were a couple, they do couple stuff.

"Cagalli honey, say 'aaah'." Athrun tapped her shoulder.

"Wha-" She wasn't able to finish her sentence because Athrun was stuffing her mouth with food.

She almost choked to death! What was that stupid Athrun thinking? She grabbed her glass of water and drank until she emptied the glass.

"What do you think you're doing?" Cagalli asked him as she put down the glass. "Were you trying to kill me?"

"No I wasn't Cagalli dear." Athrun smiled innocently at her. "I was just feeding you like Kira feeds Lacus. Aren't I sweet?"

The look on Kira and Lacus' face made Cagalli change her response from: 'You bloody pervert! Of course you aren't!' to "You're sweet Athrun! But next time don't just shove the food inside my mouth okay?"

"I'm sorry sweetie." He pinched her cheek for the second time. Athrun kept calling her pet names, which she hated. Maybe she'll remind him later to stop calling her those childish names.

"It's okay Athrun." She gave him a 'thumbs up' and tried to hide the temptation to punch him in his gorgeous face.

"So Athrun," Kira began to ask Athrun. "Where do you work?"

"I work at ZAFT [1] Fragrances." He answered Kira.

"ZAFT Fragrances?" Kira couldn't believe his ears. That was why he thought he had heard his name before. "You mean the number one company in the fragrance industry?"

"Yes." He took a sip from his coffee. He couldn't help but feel proud that Cagalli's brother knew that their company was number one.

"So you must be the Athrun Zala that rejected the idea to merge with EAF!" Kira pointed at Athrun accusingly.

"That's also a yes." He stated in a matter-of-fact tone, which irked Kira. "Whoever came up with that stupid idea was insane. I was glad that I was able to convince the stockholders."

"May I ask why?" Kira was curious to know. EAF or Earth Alliance Flavors was where he worked.

"Because EAF is a weak company, I don't understand why ZAFT, the number one in the fragrance industry, needs to merge with a number three in the flavor industry. If we were to merge with a flavor company, of course it should also be the number one." He answered bluntly.

This sent Kira so irritated than ever before. This man has the nerve to insult their company! EAF tried so hard to be the number three company in this industry and yet this man…

"You don't understand! That was supposed to benefit the two companies! By merging their assets, we could be the number one in terms of market share." Kira defended his company, it turns out that he was the one who suggested the idea of merging ZAFT and EAF.

"ZAFT can very well run on its own. As you can see, we're number one in terms of market size. The number two company is lagging very far behind." He answered him confidently.

"Kira…" Lacus tried to calm his boyfriend down. Cagalli, noticing the rising tension, also did the same.

"Kira, let's talk about this some other time okay?" She also tried but to no avail. Kira was very infuriated at the moment.

"I'll have you know that EAF provides the flavor of that juice Cagalli's drinking!" Kira proudly stated while pointing to Cagalli's glass.

"Then I'll have you know that ZAFT's perfume is the scent of this restaurant that we're currently eating in." Athrun retorted. If this Kira was planning to start a fight in what company was better, then Athrun couldn't lose.

"I'll have you know that EAF provides the flavor of the most popular orange juice in Orb." Kira fought back; at least he was certain the orange juice was currently the number one.

"I'll have you know that ZAFT provides the scent of the fabric softener that you and Cagalli use. I can tell just by smelling."

Kira couldn't help but sniff his clothes. "That explains the horrid smell! Then I won't use that fabric softener any longer!"

"Then don't, let's see if you're clothes smell any nicer."

"Oh yes they will."

"No they won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because we're number one. Top products always chose number ones like us."

"The fabric softener that we're using isn't that good!"

"Oh yeah? Then why are you using it?"

"Because it's cheap!"

"Really now? I'm sure that it's the most expensive one in the stores."

"Fine! Then I'll use something that isn't made of ZAFT Fragrances! I won't patronize your products for as long as I live!"

"Then you can't eat here, and that's so sad. I heard that this was your favorite restaurant." 

"Then I won't eat here any longer!"

"I bet 10000 Orb dollars that the perfume you're using is from ZAFT perfumery. That's one of our best-selling scents."

"I won't use this perfume any longer! I didn't like the smell anyway."

"Just admit it, ZAFT Fragrances are the best. Even you like it."

"No they're not!"

"Yes they are! You can only counter what I'm saying because you can't really say that EAF is number one. You'd be lying then. You know what they say, 'Real men accept defeat'."

"Why you little-"

Cagalli couldn't believe what she was now seeing. Her brother, the one who always told her not to pick fights and Athrun, the man that she found so composed and refined were bickering like two old women. She didn't know if she were to laugh or to get mad at the both of them. Lacus, on the other hand, looked so terrified because she'd never seen Kira so worked up like that before.

"Kira…" Lacus tried to hold him down but it was too late. There was no use in making him calm down now. He was so outrageously pissed.

"You think you're so cool with your blue hair huh?" Kira was now taking things personally.

"Yes. I think I'm so cool with my blue hair. Cagalli said so herself. What about you? Is that brown hair of yours natural?" Athrun always enjoyed teasing people that were losing it. He always had fun with Yzak, who would eventually explode due to anger. 

"Of course it's natural you freak! Cagalli doesn't think that way!"

"Yes she does. Are you threathened that I'm Cagalli's new number one? Mister number three."

"You fucktard. Why I ought to-"

"Kira, Athrun will you two please shut up?" Cagalli couldn't help but splash water at both of their faces. If she didn't do that, Kira might be pouncing on Athrun and beating his face to no avail. All the customers in the restaurant stopped what they were doing to look at them, which lead to the embarrassment of the two girls.

"Kira, why are you so childish? You're humiliating Lacus?" Kira stopped to turn to Lacus, who was now in the verge of tears.

"Lacus I'm sorry for my sudden outburst." It was so fast, the transformation from the murderous Kira to an angelic Kira. He gave Lacus a light hug.

"It's okay." She returned Kira's hug. That made him calm down a little. "Don't fight with Athrun, okay? Give it a rest."

"Yes I won't." He turned back to Cagalli and said. "Okay I changed my mind, I don't like him for you either. Let me rephrase that, I like Shinn more than I like him for you. And Shinn was bad enough."

"Kira!" Cagalli didn't want to believe what he just said. They were making a good impression a while ago.

"Let's go Lacus." He stood up and Lacus followed behind him. "Since you're so great mister number one, you pay for the bill."

Lacus mouthed Cagalli a 'Don't worry. I'll talk to him.' and gave Athrun a wave and exited the restaurant with Kira.

-o0o-

"Way to go you idiot!" Cagalli yelled at Athrun as they walked out the restaurant. The embarrassment was too much for Cagalli to take. As soon as Kira left, Athrun paid the bill and they rushed outside the restaurant.

"What? It wasn't my fault. He started it! He asked where I worked. I didn't know that he worked in EAF. I really had no idea!" He pouted like a child.

"If you hadn't provoked him, then we could've said the 'p word' already!" She couldn't help but smack him on the head.

"Ouch!" Athrun caressed his head. This girl was as fiery as her brother. They were really twins. "I'm sorry okay?"

"Now you've done it. I doubt that Kira will like you now." She sighed.

"He possibly can't just ignore me." He said to her. "After all, I am the father of the child."

"I want to tell him as soon as possible you know. The guilt of hiding it from him is killing me!"

"We'll be able to tell him, eventually." They walked to where they're car was parked.

"How do you know that I was in the tennis club back in college?" Cagalli asked him.

"Hmm… I think you told me that when we were together at the bar."

"I see."

Then there was an awkward silence.

As Athrun continued walking, not even bothering to look at the blonde beside him because he was also humiliated with what happened earlier. But then he realized that he had to speak to her. So he started to ask Cagalli. "So where should I drop you?" He looked beside him and realized that she was no longer there.

"Where is she?" He turned back and searched for her. He was surprised to see her stop walking midway. It appears that she was staring at something or someone. He couldn't really tell.

He walked near her and tried to even joke her. "What are you staring at?" He looked at the other side of the street; there was nothing special to look at. The only shop that was there was a café and there were a few people inside it. There were businessmen discussing on one table, women gossiping on the other, a man that was quietly sipping his coffee and a couple who were dating on the next.

He looked back at Cagalli and was surprised at what he saw; Cagalli was on the verge of crying.

-o0o-

A cliffhanger! :P Happy holidays to everyone! Review! :)

Additional notes:

[1] I couldn't help but include ZAFT and EAF and use it as a name of the company where Athrun and Kira work.


	7. Melting Feelings

A/N: Hi! Sorry for the late update! Or not! HAHAHA.

chicken and ronnababes – Hello HTF babies! :-h I super love you two! Thanks for reading this fic!

nareiya – I hope that you were able to eat your Noche Buena even though I didn't update earlier! :P I'm also on the verge of praying a thousand mantra that you did!

Hello to the other reviewers last chapter: KazumiSakura, Sandyx5, Jodeist, Lacus Yamato, trulyanimelover06, RaV, kamille murasame, Meyrin-x-ZAFTgirl, cagallifangurl, ren, Xena Athha, rizacaga!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 7: Melting Feelings

-o0o-

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Cagalli, the fiery blonde, was almost on the verge of crying. It was the second time that he saw her like this; the first one was when they were in the bar. But that was excusable, since she was heartbroken at that time. Could she be upset of what happened earlier? Maybe that's why she was lagging behind when they were walking, because she didn't want to even get close to him.

What kind of man was he? He told her that he would help her, even volunteering to meet with her brother. But he didn't even do it right. He makes his brother infuriated with him and blows Cagalli's chance to finally tell him that she was pregnant. That would sure make any girl cry in irritation.

"Hey Cagalli..." He patted her shoulder, but she still refused to look at him in the eyes. Oh boy. She was really mad at him. He scratched his head and began to apologize to her. "Look Cagalli, I'm really sorry for what happened earlier. I didn't mean to make your brother angry... Well I guess I kind of made him angry because of what I said to him..."

"I'll treat you to ice cream or to anything that you want! I promise!" He suggested. "I'll even take you home afterwards."

When she still wasn't replying, he thought of the last resort. "Fine! Because I did something that made it more difficult for you..." He bent his head to a level that Cagalli's arm would reach it. Of course a man wouldn't like to be hit with a girl, but if this was the only way to make it up to her, then so be it. "Hit me with your best shot."

"What are you doing? Stand up you idiot." Cagalli's voice was trembling, he was sure of that. So he took a good look at her face, it seemed that it made the situation worse. The tears were now flowing from Cagalli's amber eyes.

"Don't cry!" Athrun was panicking. He really didn't know what to do in these situations. When his girlfriend would cry, he could easily coax her by treating her to some fancy restaurant or by just hugging her. Cagalli was a different case. This girl can't be bribed by things like those. In this situation, he wasn't her boyfriend to even do stuff like those, well maybe a pretend boyfriend.

It was really weird that she was pregnant and that he wasn't her boyfriend. They already had sex but they weren't even a couple. It was like they fast-forwarded to what married couples would do, skipping the courting stage. But then he couldn't do anything about it anymore now could he?

Instinctively, he pulled out his handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. But she refused to take it and wiped her tears with her fingers. "That bastard of an ass." He heard her say in between her whimpers.

"That bastard?" He looked to the direction of the cafe again. There wasn't much difference at all. The businessmen, gossiping women, couple and the loner guy were still there. So maybe the loner guy was the bastard?

"Is that the 'bastard' that you're referring to?" Athrun pointed to the lone guy in one table. That surely was the bastard. Wasn't it?

"No you stupid idiot!" How could she even curse him like that when she was already crying? She walked to his car, leaving Athrun behind her.

Athrun ran to catch up with her to his car. Even though she was a pregnant woman, she sure walked fast.

With a click, the door of his car opened. Cagalli hurriedly went inside. Athrun started the engine and started to turn the engine on.

"Take me home." It was all that Cagalli could even say to Athrun. He only nodded and drove his way out of the parking space.

It was a quiet ride. Athrun, being the perverted tease that he was, refused to even speak a word at all and Cagalli couldn't be any grateful. At least she would be spared the talking. She couldn't bear to talk about what she saw a while ago. It was her freaking ex-boyfriend Shinn! It was the first time she saw him after that night that he broke up with her. Frankly, she wasn't ready to see his cheating face. She feared that this might happened, her breaking down when she sees him again.

She wondered why he broke up with her. She didn't do anything that would seriously piss him off. All she did when she was with him was to act like a girlfriend that any boyfriend would be proud of. She taught herself how to cook and to do other girly stuff, like sewing and doing the laundry.

To think that he actually spent two years courting her. During their sophomore year, he would always watch her during her tennis club hours. Shinn would be waiting for her to finish so that they could go home together. He fixed all of his subjects so that they would have common breaks to study and eat together.

Her friends told her that she was so lucky to have someone like him so crazy over her. They said that there were a few guys in the world that would dedicate themselves to the girl that they really like. Even though at first she wasn't attracted to him, all his efforts were all it took before Cagalli started to fall for him as well.

Where did all his love for her go? During the years they were together, she was falling for him more and more. Maybe he was falling out of love for her during the years. Tears were still flowing freely from her eyes, but she couldn't help it.

She was too immersed in her thoughts to even notice that Athrun wasn't even driving to her house anymore. Instead, he was driving to another place that was unbeknownst to Cagalli.

When Athrun finally put his car into a discreet halt, it was the only time that Cagalli realized that he didn't take her back to her house.

"Where are we?" Cagalli asked him. It didn't seem like he was running some errands because he got down and motioned for her to come outside as well.

She got out and realized that they were in front of an ice cream shop. What were they doing in here anyway? Didn't she tell him to take him home already?

"Let's go and eat some ice cream first." Athrun smiled at her. "They say that sweet things always make things better."

She couldn't deny that she had a sweet tooth, but she wasn't in so much zeal to eat ice cream for the moment. Could anyone even eat ice cream at times like this? Although she wanted to just go home already, the look on Athrun's face made it impossible for her to resist. It seemed that he really wanted to cheer her up and it made her mood lighten up a bit.

"We can just sit here outside if you want fresh air." Athrun suggested as he pulled out a chair for her to sit on. She didn't say anything but she sat down.

"What flavour would you like to have?" He gently asked her. His actions were kind of surprising her. But then again he was also like this during the night they first met, he was acting like a gentleman to a girl that was feeling so down.

She continued to stare at him for a few more seconds. She really didn't want to eat ice cream for the moment but it would be very rude not to answer him, albeit he was being extra-ordinarily kind to her.

"Don't worry princess. It's my treat." He winked at her. That was the Athrun that she got used to. The one who always loved to teased her.

"Just get me anything." She shrugged him off. Just when her view of him was starting to change, he reverts back to his old perverted self.

"Is vanilla an okay flavour for you?" Athrun asked her.

"Chocolate." She answered bluntly. He was supposed to laugh at her reply, but not when he saw the icy glare on her face. It was really funny though, he deliberately asked her if she wanted vanilla so that he wouldn't be buying her chocolate.

"I thought you said anything?" He raised her eyebrow at her.

"I said chocolate now didn't I?" Her tone was still serious. Athrun decided that it was best that she teased her another time, when she wasn't feeling so down in the dumps and went inside to order their ice creams.

-o0o-

"So do you mind telling me what happened earlier?" Their orders were now served. He was aching to ask her the moment they got inside the car but refrained from doing so because she was still crying back then. She seemed to have calmed down now, so it might be okay to ask her now. "Who is the 'bastard' that you were referring to a while ago? Was it me? If it was, then I'm really sor-"

"It's not you Athrun." She cut him off. How many times will he still apologize to her? She wasn't really mad at him anyway.

"Then who was it?" He insisted on knowing.

"It's nothing." Cagalli didn't want to talk about what she saw earlier with him. If she were to talk about it, Miriallia or Lacus would be the more appropriate for the job, not a perverted tease like Athrun.

"Come on Cagalli tell me." He squeezed her hand lightly. "I can't act like I didn't see anything."

Her mind was debating on whether she would tell him or not. Sure he wasn't anything like her best friends but it seemed like he was so worried about her. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to tell him; after all he was a good listener. He seemed to remember every detail that she told her during their night at the bar.

"Well..." She started to say. But her voice was trailing off as she was still hesitating.

"Well?" He urged her to continue.

"I saw my ex-boyfriend a while ago." Her voice was barely a murmur, but Athrun didn't fail to hear it.

"Oh..." So the loner guy was Cagalli's ex-boyfriend. She sure had a bad taste in men. That guy that was sipping his coffee was far from good looking. He looked so haggard that it seemed like he didn't even have the time to shave or comb his hair. Cagalli didn't have to cry over a man like that. She surely deserved someone better.

"And you know what?" She continued her story. "I really can't believe that he was seeing that girl for almost a year now!"

"That girl?" He couldn't help but repeat what she said. Did she just say girl?

"You heard me!" Her voice started to tremble like it did a while ago. Oh no, she was going to cry again. "Didn't you see that they were acting so lovey dovey in that cafe?"

"They?" So it wasn't that loner guy. He mentally slapped himself for being so stupid at times. Of course not even a desperate woman would pick that loner guy as her boyfriend. So Cagalli must be talking about the couple that were together at the cafe.

The guy seemed okay-looking. But it was weird; the girl he was dating was like Cagalli. The girl had blonde hair, same body figure but different tastes in clothes. The girl was wearing a slutty dress, according to Athrun. Who on earth would wear a dress that almost revealed a girl's most hidden treasures? With one swift move, the dress could easily slide down from the girl's body and the thought of that didn't even turn Athrun on. It was the other way around. Athrun didn't like it when women wear clothes that were too revealing. It always seemed to him that they were hookers. At least Cagalli had some decency in choosing the clothes that she wanted to wear, even if that meant wearing pants that were simply unflattering matched with a plain t-shirt.

"Yes you ninny! They!" Cagalli emphasized the word 'they' and tried to stop her tears from falling down. "You know what I tried my hardest to be the perfect woman for Shinn." She wasn't able to eat her ice cream, even though she wanted to. She was unable to control her tears once more.

"Then maybe he wasn't the one for you." He said what was rational. Although he knew that it would hurt Cagalli more, he felt like he had to say it to her. After all, he was in a relationship too. It also took him a while to realize that Meyrin wasn't meant for him. He knew that no matter how many times he may forgive her, she would still repeat the same mistakes and he was getting tired of it.

"Maybe he wasn't..." She repeated the words that he said to her. "I can't believe that I tried to hard just to make him happy."

"Like what?"

"Well I always wore dresses because he wanted me to look a bit girly." She told her. So that explains why she was in a dress the first time he saw her. She even told her that she didn't fancy wearing dresses.

"I also learned to do the things that I really didn't like so that we could have the same hobbies." She continued.

"Don't feel so bad already Cagalli! And besides, that pathetic unattractive loser doesn't suit your beauty. You deserve more." He tried to cheer her up.

She couldn't help but cry more when she heard him say that, which led Athrun to panic a lot more than before.

"Did I say something that offended you?" He asked her. He really didn't know what was wrong with that sentence. He was siding with Cagalli, no doubt about it.

Cagalli covered her face with her palms and continued to sob like a child. "If he's a pathetic unattractive loser, then what does that make me? I can't believe that I've been dumped by a pathetic unattractive loser!" She wailed.

"No that's not the point!" Athrun tried to calm her down and drew his chair closer to him. Clearly, it was the wrong choice of words.

"Then what is your point?" Cagalli asked him.

"My point is..." Athrun cleared his throat. "He's not the guy for you because if he was, then... I don't know..." He wasn't making any sense at all! It's not like he was used to comforting women when they were heartbroken! Heck when men are heartbroken, his friends are there for the purpose of being drinking buddies. A woman's world is totally different, you have to soothe them with comforting words, which Athrun is not an expert of.

"To make the long explanation short, if he did that to you, then he's not the right guy for you because believe me, someone better will come." This stuff wasn't his forte, but hey, at least he tried.

That seemed to have stopped her from crying. But even if she stopped crying, her ice cream cup remained untouched as she was silent throughout the time they were in the ice cream shop. Athrun felt bad for the melting chocolate ice cream. That cost him 110 Orb dollars! That goes to show that chocolate isn't really delicious! Cagalli didn't even bother looking at it. But at least something good came out of this; he managed to make Cagalli talk.

"Do you want to head home now?" Athrun spoke to her after a few minutes, which was like an eternity to him. It was no fun when Cagalli wasn't talking.

She nodded and stood up, ignoring the melted ice cream in front of her. "_Poor Cagalli."_ Athrun thought. She was so stressed out. Pregnant women shouldn't be bombarded with a lot of problems. It would affect the baby.

"Hey." He called out to her before they got inside the car.

"Hmm?" She looked at him and was surprised by his next action.

He made her head lean to his chest and patted it gently. It was kind of like a hug, but not really since he didn't wrap her arms around her. He thought of doing so at first but she may have yelled to the whole street that he was violating her.

"You'll be okay." He assured her and she couldn't help but shed more tears.

Those were the last of Cagalli's tears that were caused by Shinn Asuka, the cheating mongrel.

-o0o-

Minutes later, Athrun's car was in front of Cagalli's house. He pressed the break and got out to open her door.

"Here we are." He smiled at her when she came out of the car.

"Thanks." She was really thankful, but she couldn't help but sigh. The trepidation of not telling Kira was now bothering her once more. If only she could tell him right now.

Athrun sensed Cagalli's anxiety. It might be because of her brother now. Why is Cagalli's life such a stressful one? Well maybe he was partly at fault...

"Is your brother inside?" Athrun asked her.

Cagalli looked at the driveway to see that Kira's car was parked, so she nodded.

"Then I guess we should tell him now." Athrun was so determined and marched nervously towards their front door. That is, until Cagalli pulled his sleeves backwards.

"Wait! We're going to tell him now?" She was surprised at his sudden proposition. She couldn't tell Kira right now. Not when he was utterly pissed at Athrun. He would most likely exterminate his existence in this planet. Finding out that Athrun was the one that rejected his deals and the one that made her pregnant. One was enough for the day.

"Yes." He tried to sound confident although he felt really hysterical deep down. It was weird because he seldom felt the feeling agitation. He was the type that could handle everything, but he didn't know if he could handle this. "Might as well tell him now Cagalli."

Cagalli took a deep breath and tried to relax herself, but to no avail. _"But Athrun's right! It's do or die!"_ The earlier Kira knew, the better.

"Okay. Let's go." They marched their way to the door. Both of them felt as uptight as the other but nevertheless they didn't back down. Once Cagalli was opening the door, Athrun was almost losing it. He feared what her brother's reaction might be.

The door creaked open and the two of them went inside. Athrun couldn't help but be amazed by their house, it was simple yet elegant. But wait! Now isn't the time to examine the interior design of the house! It was confession time.

"I see that you're back." It was Kira's voice. Athrun was sure about that.

When Kira saw Athrun with Cagalli, the warm tone in his voice changed into something that was so icy cold. "What is mister number one doing here in our fragile house?"

"Listen Kira." Cagalli tried to explain. She wished he didn't have to make it harder for her.

"Yes Cagalli?" His voice was gentle to her.

"We have to tell you something." Athrun continued for her.

"Nooooo! I absolutely do not want to listen!" Using his palms to cover his ears, he made his way upstairs. Cagalli tried to stop him by pulling him back.

"Kira!" It was annoying really, on how Kira was being so childish. If only Athrun stopped provoking him when they were in the restaurant a while ago! Everything would have been so much easier.

"I'm absolutely not going to hand Cagalli over to you! I told you a while ago Cagalli! I don't want him as your new boyfriend! I'd rather have Shinn for my brother-in-law" Kira accusingly pointed his index finger to the emerald-eyed man beside Cagalli.

Kira was misunderstanding the whole point of this! Was he thinking that Athrun was going to ask for her hand in marriage? _"Stupid Kira! It wasn't even close to that! Athrun doesn't want to marry me! It's something very different from that!"_ Cagalli was inwardly pulling her blonde hair out in frustration. But she knew that she couldn't say that to him, not while he was being ballistic and all.

"Listen buddy, that's not what we were trying to say." Athrun tried to reason to Kira, but it seemed like a challenge to him because Kira didn't even want to listen to him. _"Damn this sore loser number three!"_

"Why should I listen to you Mister I'm-so-great-in-everything?"

"Because we're trying to tell you something important that concerns the three of us!" Athrun was losing his patience. If it weren't for Cagalli, he would be using his judo skills on this guy.

"I told you I don't want to listen to it!" Kira was heading his way up the stairs.

"Kira! It's really something important you idiot! Can't you listen to us even just for once?" Cagalli pleaded. There was no turning back now. She had to tell him. The guilt from hiding it from him was already killing her.

Kira seemed to have notice the desperation of her sister. It was his sister after all, so why couldn't he just hear her out? BECAUSE OF THIS NUMBER ONE BASTARD OF AN ASS! THAT'S WHY! But the look on Cagalli's face made it impossible for him to be hard on his sister.

"Fine." He stopped climbing the stairs midway. "I'll listen to what you have to say on one condition."

"What condition?" Athrun and Cagalli asked him in unison.

"You." Kira pointed his finger on Athrun's direction. "You should win against me on a one set tennis match. I have to remind you, I was a varsity when I was in high school and college."

"So if I win, you'll listen to us?" Athrun didn't even know what he was getting himself into.

"Of course. But if you lose, I'll never ever listen to you and you'll disappear from my sister's life!" He proposed.

"Kira!" Cagalli tried to stop the both of them. But the two of them looked so competitive, glaring at each other that Cagalli swore that she almost saw two wild animals that were growling and were ready to fight one another.

"So Mister ZAFT, have we got ourselves a deal? Tomorrow 10 am sharp at the Orb Plains clubhouse?"

"Yeah of course. I'll crush you." Athrun got so competitive when someone challenged him, that he forgot one important factor.

"That's the spirit." Kira smirked. "Even though I haven't played much in a while, I still won't go easy on you."

"You don't need to. Give me your best shot." He challenged him.

"Sis." Kira turned to Cagalli. "Don't disturb me until tomorrow okay? I need to shape up and focus to beat him!"

With that Kira made his way to his room and slammed the door shut.

Cagalli mind still didn't register that just happened. They both tried to tell Kira that she was pregnant but then Kira shunned the both of them. But Kira, being the kind brother that he was agreed to listen under the condition of a tennis match? Tomorrow they'll be battling just so Cagalli could say that she's pregnant. How did it come to that?

"Well." Athrun gave her a pat on the shoulder. "I'm going then."

"What? Where are you going?" Cagalli asked him.

"To buy the tennis stuff of course." Athrun answered her. "I don't have tennis equipment because I've never really played tennis before."

Cagalli couldn't believe her ears. Did Athrun just say that he never played tennis before?

"Never?"

"Yes never." He confidently answered him.

"Then there's no way that you'll defeat my brother. He's a national level player! You'll never win against him." Cagalli was starting to panic. Now she'll never get to tell Kira that she's pregnant!

"Never say never!" [1] He gave her a grin and a 'thumbs up'.

Cagalli sighed when she heard the sound of Athrun's car slowly disappearing. "Never say never huh?

-o0o-

End of chapter 7! Reviewww!

Additional Notes:

[1] "Never say never" – a JB song. Don't get me wrong here okay? I'm not a fan of JB! I actually dislike him. HAHAHA. The lyrics just popped out when I was making this!


	8. Duel

A/N: Sorry for the late update! After December 24, we've been pigging out almost every day and spending money on shopping while doing nothing productive. I felt like a super bum so I studied a bit for law.

But anyway, thank you for making my fic reach 100 reviews! That has always been a goal of mine. I'm so happy! So thank y'all to the reviewers who made it possible. *bows*

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 8: Duel

-o0o-

Athrun Zala headed straight to a sports shop immediately after he had left the Hibiki household. He wasn't lying when he told Cagalli that he never played tennis before. It wasn't as if he didn't want to play tennis at all, he did want to try to play tennis. But it just happened that his father was a big basketball addict, their house had a basketball court and his father frequently invited him to play with him. So he grew up foreign to other sports, well that is except for judo.

Tennis just had to do with properly hitting the ball to the other side of the net, but of course it has to be inside the lines. That was all he knew about it. He didn't know how the game flows, how it should be scored, and the factors that needed to be considered to get a score. Heck he didn't even know to hold a racket properly, for he has never held one before. How clueless could he even get?

"Good afternoon Athrun!" The owner greeted him enthusiastically the moment he went inside the sports shop. Athrun and his father were no stranger to the owner because they frequently bought there. In fact, the owner considers them as friends. "You've finally visited my shop after many months."

"Good afternoon Pops!" He replied to the old man in the counter that was excitingly making his way to him. "I've been busy lately!" He laughed apologetically.

"Oh I see! Busy with work or with girls?" The old man tried to joke with Athrun.

"Both." Athrun wasn't lying when he said that. Of course it was a given fact that he was always busy with work, but currently most of his attention was on a certain blonde, a certain fiery pregnant blonde to be exact.

"You certainly are the playboy." The old man gave him a light smack on his back. If only he knew that he wasn't really joking about his answer. "So how's your father?"

"He's fine." He answered him. "He's having the time of his retired life travelling around the world with my mother."

"I'd like to have a chat with him sometime." He told Athrun. Pops and his father have always been close friends.

"I'll tell him that when he gets back from his trip." Athrun nodded.

"Oh yes, before I forget! What did you come here for? Do you need new basketball shoes? A new model just came in yesterday!" He went towards the direction of the basketball section and thought that Athrun would follow him.

"Actually Pops..." Athrun made him stop in midway. "I need to buy tennis equipment."

"Tennis? You're into tennis now?"

"Yeah kind of. I want to try and play tennis." Athrun didn't tell the old man in front of him that he actually got challenged into a tennis match. Pops would just be pestering him to tell him the whole story and will give him advices which he never followed once. Don't get him wrong, he liked the old man. It was just that he always gave advices that proved to be always unhelpful. "What else do you need other than a racket?"

"Balls." He answered bluntly which led Athrun's eyes to widen. Did he just say balls?

"What?" Athrun asked the old man, just to be sure.

"I meant tennis balls, young man." The old man chuckled. What a geezer. "You must be thinking of something very different." He handed him a case of four tennis balls. It was embarrassing to admit, but yes, he thought of something else.

"What racket would you recommend me to use?" Athrun got a hold of a racket on the shelf and started to swing it lightly.

"Of course the finest! You should get a Wolsin [1] racket." The old man got a white racket and handed it to him. "You'll have more control, reach, power and spin with this Wolsin power lite racket. It's much more comfortable too."

Athrun didn't know what the hell the old man was talking about. Everything that he had just said made no sense at all to him. But he decided to just be polite and nodded. "Thanks Pops!"

"Do you want me to adjust the gut and tension of that racket?" The old man asked him.

"Uhh... Sure." He handed the white racket back to the owner of the shop.

"How do you want me to adjust it for you?" He was bombarding him a lot of questions that really made him feel so clueless. He didn't like that kind of feeling.

"I don't really know." He admitted. He really didn't have any idea what Pops was saying so might as well let him take care of it.

"Don't worry! Leave the adjusting to me!" The old man beamed.

"I also need tennis clothes and shoes." Athrun told him.

"You can use your basketball shoes for tennis you know." The old man suggested.

"Naah." Athrun shrugged the thought of using his broken pair of shoes to play tennis. "I'll buy new ones."

"Okay then. Take your pick. The clothes are over there." He pointed to a rack of clothes. "I'll adjust this racket of yours first.

-o0o-

He got back to his flat and dumped the stuff that he bought from the sports shop on his living room table. Opening the other plastic bag that he bought, he brought out the "Tennis, played by the professional players of all time." DVD and the "Tennis: For Beginners" book. He felt so embarrassed when he bought them, he remembered that there were women that were laughing at him when they saw what he was buying.

"I hope I learn from reading this book." He sighed as he sat on his couch and started to read the book.

"First of all, the goal of tennis is to hit the ball to the other side of the court where your opponent can't possibly reach it." He read out loud. So he was right. It seems that learning tennis can be easy after all.

"The game can be played by two or four players. Singles for two players and doubles for the four players." He continued.

"To be able to win a set, a player must win 6 games." He briefed the glossary of the book to find out what set and game means. Tennis terms are very confusing.

He was slightly confused at that part, so he skipped it. 'How to score' was on the next page, he continued to read it silently.

"What a weird way of saying zero." He muttered to himself when he read that 'zeros' are called 'loves'. He found it amusing that it also made use of the term 'deuce'. So it was 'deuce', he always thought that the umpires say 'juice'.

_Ways to hit a ball:_

_Serve_

_Forehand_

_Backhand_

_Volley_

_Smash_

"What the hell? I never knew that there were so many strokes." He scratched his head in frustration as he continued reading the manual. He wondered why he never watched a single tennis match in his entire life. If he did, he wouldn't find it so difficult to read the tennis manual – for beginners.

_Dimensions of the court_

_The sing-_

"That's it. I give up trying to understand all this crap." He closed the book shut and slammed it onto his table. No matter how hard he tried to understand it, he just couldn't. Maybe it was also because he never really liked tennis at all. He brought out the DVD from the case and decided that he could learn to play tennis better if he was able to see how it was done.

Athrun put the disc on his player and waited for it to load. He went back to his couch and sat down, with the remote of the DVD player on his hands.

"_Now we are about to watch the match that we've all been waiting for! It's Fuji Syuusuke [2], the prodigy from Japan versus the world number one from Spain, Rafael Nadal![3] Both of them tried their hardest to reach the Wimbledon Final Round. Will Fuji Syuusuke finally bring back the honour to Japan? Or will Rafael Nadal continue his reign as the world number one by winning another Grand Slam title?"_

"Yeah, yeah." Athrun shrugged to himself while he skipped to the important part. He did not need to know the lives of these two players.

The match started and the Spaniard guy tossed the ball and then hit with his racket. The Japanese guy was unable to return the ball.

"_That was a fast serve from Rafael Nadal! The score is 15-0!"_

"So that's how you do a serve..." His voice trailed off as he was learning new stuff just by watching the game. A ball was out once it landed in the doubles alley. He learned that when the Spaniard guy hit the ball way too hard.

"_Nice forehand stroke from Fuji!" _The announcer said. It was helpful that there was a spokesperson that explained to him every move that they make.

The two players continued to hit the ball towards their opponents' side. Both refused to give in for the score was Advantage to Rafael Nadal.

"Why does that Nadal guy always have to make erotic sounds every single time he hits the ball?" Athrun asked himself when Rafael Nadal was making grunts and noises, usually the ones that are heard when you're in bed, when he returns the ball back to Fuji Syuusuke's side. Was it so necessary? He thought that it made him hit the ball harder, but then again it was really disturbing. What would horny women think when they hear him?

Thanks to the video he watched, he learned a lot the basics of playing tennis, the strokes, the scoring and the sort. But he realized that he needed to apply what he learned to the test and he needed some guinea pig to test it with.

He brought out his cell phone and dialled Dearka's number. Yzak wouldn't be of help, he was sure of that. He figured that Yzak would just lose his patience after trying to help him practice after a few minutes. Athrun remembered the times when he asked Yzak for a favour through the phone, and he always hung up. Damn him.

"Yo Zala what's up?" Dearka's voice came from the other line.

"Elsman, do you have something to do tomorrow morning?" Athrun asked him straight to the point.

"Nope. Why oh why?" It was difficult to hear what Dearka was trying to say, Athrun figured that he might be in a bar.

"Help me practice tennis tomorrow at Orb Plains Clubhouse. 8 am sharp."

"You? Tennis? Why?"

"Because I have a match tomorrow at 10, but I need to practice so that I won't look like a ninny in front of him." He answered him. Of course he was a guy, he had pride in himself. He wouldn't let himself look like a fool in front of a person that he taunted.

"Didn't you say once that you've never really played before?" Dearka asked him while he took a drink.

"Yes I did. That's why you should help me practice tomorrow." He tried to speak as politely as he could.

"That's a tad early... But okay." Dearka agreed, much to his relief.

"Okay thanks." He was about to hang up but then Dearka asked him one more question.

"Why are you having a match anyway?"

"Just come tomorrow, and then you'll know." With that Athrun hung up on him.

-o0o-

"You're not doing it right Zala!" Dearka shouted at him when the ball that Athrun hit didn't even reach the net. It was 8:30 in the morning and Dearka was feeling groggy. Like Athrun, he wasn't much of a morning person. "Hit it with more power or else that ball would never get past the freaking net!"

"Sorry about that." Athrun thought that tennis would be easier than this, but apparently, he was wrong.

Dearka sighed and picked a ball that was near his foot. "Okay Athrun, try to hit it successfully this time!"

Athrun tried the stance of the tennis players that he saw yesterday and waited patiently as Dearka served the ball. Once the ball reached the side of his court, he dashed to it and hit it with all his strength.

He was able to hit the ball alright, but it landed far out the tennis court.

"Now you're hitting it too strong!" Dearka commented.

"You said that I should hit it with more power!" Athrun reasoned. "I'm just doing what you're saying!"

"I said hit it with _more _power, not with all your power!" Dearka laughed at him and went to his bag to get a bottle of water. "Coaching a clueless beginner like you is no joke."

"Now it makes me wonder why I agreed to that sore loser in the first place." Athrun mumbled to himself as practiced swinging the racket that he bought yesterday. Now he felt like he was going to be the sore loser because he was unable to play tennis correctly. If only his pride didn't get in the way...

"That reminds me..." Dearka apparently heard every word that he said. He put down his bottle of water and went near Athrun. "How come you're playing a tennis match when you have no experience at all?"

"I was challenged by that _sore loser_." Athrun referred to Kira of course. "I really couldn't say no."

"Sore loser?" Dearka thought about whom Athrun could be referring to, but when no one came to mind, he just asked him. "Who's the sore loser you're talking about?"

"Cagalli's brother." He continued to swing the racket, hoping that he could hit a ball properly next time.

"And who's Cagalli?" Dearka felt lost. He had no idea who these people are.

_Oh right, he doesn't know who Cagalli is_. Athrun thought to himself. "She's uh... the girl that I slept with two weeks ago. I told you remember?"

"That anonymous chick huh?" Dearka gave him a pat on the shoulder. "So you got her name?"

"Yes I did."

"How? You got her number or something?"

"Nope. I didn't have her number back then. I ate at a pastry shop that she apparently owns." Athrun replied.

"So..." Dearka raised him eyebrow. He got her number, that must mean they were meeting with each other. "Are you seeing each other frequently?"

"Yeah." He answered bluntly. He was telling him the truth, but Dearka would sure misunderstand him. They're not dating.

"That's the lover boy I know!" He gave Athrun a knowing smile. "So are you having more sex escapades?"

"No." How could he even think of having sex escapades with a girl that was already pregnant? Although he couldn't deny that he wanted to, if in any case, she wasn't pregnant at all. Then he'd remember to actually use a condom next time.

"What?" Dearka couldn't believe what Athrun was saying. "But why? You're such a sissy!"

"It's not-"

"Athrun?" A familiar voice called out to him, he was very sure where that voice came from.

"Cagalli?" He can't help but look at her; she still looked beautiful as ever, even though she was only wearing grey sweatpants and a loose shirt.

"Hey there sexy." Dearka started to approach her. Athrun knew this was going to happen. After all Dearka is the total flirt who advances on any girl that he sees.

"Lay off Elsman." Athrun threatened him. Luckily it worked and Dearka stopped the urge to touch her.

"So this is the Cagalli you're talking about." He knew very well to keep his hands off from girls that were Athrun's. "I'm Dearka Elsman, Athrun's friend."

"Uhh... Hi." She greeted him just for the sake of being civil to Athrun's friend. She expected Athrun to be here early in the morning so she took a morning walk to the tennis court, but she didn't expect him to bring a friend of his along. Did he know about what happened between them?

"So gorgeous, what do you say you leave that lover boy over there and hook up with me instead?" He bent over to her ear and whispered. "Believe me I'm much better in bed than he is." Dearka joked while trying to act cool, which sent Athrun really infuriated. What was this idiotic Elsman trying to pull?

"I didn't know that there's still a person much more perverted than Athrun." She countered. She couldn't believe that anyone would say that to a person that they just met. She walked past him and went to Athrun's direction. And she thought he was courteous unlike Athrun. Boy she was so wrong.

"You're right about that." Athrun informed her. "Believe me, you won't find anyone hornier and perverted than he already is."

"How dare you speak of your best friend that way?" Dearka tried to act all hurt with what they both said. "Don't badmouth me in front of her!"

"So do you think you'll be able to beat my brother?" Cagalli asked Athrun, completely ignoring the tanned guy behind them.

"I don't think I can." Athrun confessed to her. "This is actually my first time to step on a real tennis court and play."

"Really?" Cagalli gasped. "You sure about that?"

"Of course I am."

"Hey there you two! Don't ignore me!" Dearka went to the both of them and tried to enter the conversation.

"But you should win!" Cagalli insisted. "Or else we won't be able to tell him about what happened."

"I know but it's really impossible right now. Give me more time to practice." He requested.

"You know that we have to tell him sooner before he finds out for himself right?" Cagalli reminded him.

"Yeah I know that."

"Tell him what? What are you two talking about anyway?" Dearka was confused. Is Athrun really serious about this girl? That was fast, considering that he just broke up with his girlfriend of three years.

"None of your damn business!" Athrun and Cagalli both glowered at him.

"Alright, alright I won't try to pry." Dearka laughed nervously and went back to his bag to sit down. "Sheesh they're acting so lovey dovey already."

"Hey you! Athrun's best friend!" Cagalli called out to him.

"Yes gorgeous?" Dearka lit up when Cagalli called him. Finally he wasn't being ignored. But then again he didn't like the fact that he was being called 'Athrun's best friend'. "My name's Dearka."

"Stand up and help Athrun practice would you?" She requested but for Dearka it was more like an order.

"You heard her!" Athrun bellowed at him. "Go and help me, your best friend."

Dearka couldn't help but feel like he was the jester in this situation. He couldn't do anything because he volunteered himself to help Athrun practice. So he went to the court that was across Athrun.

"Ready?" Dearka served the ball. Astoundingly, Athrun was able to hit the ball. Dearka, with his little tennis experience, returned the ball to the corner that Athrun couldn't reach. But any other player would have returned it so easily.

Athrun cursed himself inwardly. Why was he unable to hit that ball easily? He wasn't looking so cool in front of Cagalli.

"Athrun!" Cagalli called out to him. "Try closing your racket."

"Closing my racket?" Athrun questioned her. "How do I do that?"

Cagalli went to Athrun and got the racket from his hand. "You tilt your racket like this." She demonstrated it to him.

"So what would happen if I hit the ball like that?" He got his racket back and tried to imitate what Cagalli had just done.

"You'll be putting a spin on the ball. That way, it'll be harder to return." She answered him.

"Oh I see." Athrun resumed playing with Dearka. Thanks to Cagalli's skills in teaching him tennis, he was able to play a bit better than his performance a while ago.

-o0o-

Before they even noticed it, it was past ten already. Kira was driving to the tennis court, in fear that it might result into his defeat. He was planning on jogging to the clubhouse as a warm up, but he woke up late. It was a stupid reason to get defeated by a man like Athrun just because he was late!

When he reached the tennis court, he was surprised to find that Athrun, Cagalli and some random guy were already there. They seemed to have failed to notice him because they still continued what they were doing.

What irked him more was that Athrun was acting too familiar with his sister, making jokes that she seemed to laugh at. What was so funny about this guy anyway?

He cleared his throat to announce his presence, the three of them stopped to look at him.

"You're late." Athrun couldn't help but say that. Truly, Kira was fifteen minutes late. But wasn't Kira the one that said they should be on the tennis court 10 am sharp?

"Sorry about that." He muttered an apology to the cocky blue haired guy. He himself didn't like people that weren't aware of time so he apologized to him for his lateness.

"So shall we start the match?" Athrun asked him confidently. Cagalli couldn't believe this man at all. He was just playing so poorly a while ago. Now he has the nerve to challenge her brother, a person that played tennis his whole life, in a match. She secretly thought that Athrun would say that he won because he was late. That idiot wasn't really thinking! It was much easier to tell Kira knowing that he lost.

"Kira!" She decided to take matters into her own hands. With Athrun playing for the win, it was really impossible that they could even tell Kira. "I think you should listen to us now! You're late remember?"

"Your boyfriend doesn't mind. Right Athrun?" She could already see the fire burning in his eyes! Why did he have to be so competitive over a thing like this?

"Boyfriend?" Dearka was flabbergasted. They were a couple already? Why didn't Athrun tell him that he already had a new girlfriend already. He hated to admit it, but he was kind of offended that Athrun didn't tell him. They were friends weren't they? He didn't know that Athrun was so earnest about her. He thought that Cagalli was just a fling. But then again why would he be so serious about someone who was just a fling?

"And you are?" Kira turned to the blonde guy that seemed so astounded. He never thought that he knew Cagalli and mister number one.

"I'm Dearka, Athrun's friend." He answered Kira but turned to Athrun immediately. "I didn't know that she was your girlfriend already!"

Athrun pulled Cagalli closer to him for show, which sent Cagalli's face to redden. It also made Kira's face red, but it was of fury. He forgot to tell Dearka about their plans and lies. He would just have to tell him later. "Yes. She's my girlfriend now. I was surprised that you still haven't notice!"

"You bet I didn't!" He answered Athrun, still in a state of shock.

"Well you don't mind right?" Kira went back to talking to Athrun so he could take his hands off his sister already.

"No I don't." He nodded, but inwardly, he did mind. He just didn't want to look like a coward that couldn't take a fight.

"Let's start then!" Kira took out a coin from his pocket. "Heads or tails?"

"Heads." Athrun didn't know why Kira was asking him, but he answered anyway.

With that Kira tossed the coin in midair. He caught it and inspected the coin. "It's heads. Do you want to serve first?"

"_So that's what it meant."_ Athrun thought to himself. "You can serve first." It was to buy him some time to practice on serving. By watching Kira, he thought that he could learn to serve properly.

"Even though you're Cagalli's boyfriend, I won't go easy on you." Kira warned him. He wanted to show Mister Number One that he was wrong to reject the merge between ZAFT and EAF that he proposed.

"You don't have to. Give me all you've got." He smirked, as if he played tennis like a pro.

"I'll be the umpire!" Dearka declared.

"Here I go!" Kira tossed the ball in the air and hit it with all his strength.

Athrun didn't even have the time to move his body as the ball already bounced past him. The ball was freaking fast! How the hell did he do that?

"A service ace?" Cagalli frowned. Why didn't Athrun agree with her when she said that Kira already lost? That Athrun didn't really want to give it up without a fight.

"Fifteen love!" Dearka announced. Kira wanted to jump for joy! At last he was beating Mister Athrun Zala – the number one at something.

"What's the matter?" Kira asked him. "That was just a mediocre serve. I'm surprised that you didn't even hit it."

"Don't worry. I'll hit it next time." Athrun turned to shout to Cagalli, even though it wasn't really assuring.

"You better hit it or else I'm not listening to what you want to say." Kira reminded him.

"_Crap. I'm going to lose at this rate!"_ Athrun cursed to himself.

"I'm going to serve faster this time better be ready." Kira warned him.

"_I'll get it this time for sure!"_

-o0o-

End of chapter 8! Uhmm... Sorry if this chapter was kinda boring! Don't shoot me! *apologizes to the readers* I'll make the 9th chapter a much more interesting read. :D

Poll! What do you guys want me to update next? _**It Just Happened Chapter 9**_ or _**Meyrin's Attempt Chap 13**_ or _**Melody of the Past Chap 13**_?

Additional Notes:

[1] That's Wilson. =)) I couldn't think of any other brand so I switched the letters 'i' and 'o'.

[2] Fuji Syuusuke is from the anime "Prince of Tennis". I do not own him. T_T

[3] I also do not own Rafael Nadal, although I wish that he could be mine. /3


	9. Confrontation

A/N: An update is here! I can't believe that I wrote nine chapters already, just in the span of a month. Well I guess I'm really inspired in writing this story!

Happy New Year to everybody! Yay 2011 is here! I hope all of you will enjoy the fireworks and food like I will! Hihi.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny. I'll own it someday.

Chapter 9: Confrontation

-o0o-

"Game to Kira! One game to love. Change court!" Dearka announced after Kira served four successful shots. It was an easy task to get a love game from Athrun, much to the latter's dismay. The guy's racket couldn't even make contact with the freaking tennis ball because Kira's serves were furiously fast. Undeniably, the difference between the level of Kira and Athrun, with regards to skill in tennis could really be seen. It was like comparing a racecar to a bicycle, two of the opposite extremes.

Both of them were a foot away from each other; Kira saw the opportunity for him to boast his expertise. He wasn't expecting Mister Number One to be doing so poorly against him, and to think that he hasn't played in years. At first, he thought that Athrun would give him an exciting fight. "You couldn't even hit back even just one shot." He taunted the emerald-eyed man in front of him.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure I hit it back to you the next time you serve." The calm expression on Athrun's face still didn't change as he walked past Kira. Kira did not know if it was just a façade or that Athrun still wasn't showing his true strength just yet. Maybe he was testing his serves and calculating his future moves.

Cagalli was convinced that the 'calm look' that he always projected, seemed to be plastered in his features. No doubt about it, he was losing big time. But she couldn't help but admit that he looked kind of cool that he wasn't panicking and didn't look so defeated.

Based on Athrun's observations, Kira's serves were faster when he hit them with more power. He was determined to serve the ball properly or else Cagalli would never have the chance to tell Kira. He took the stance as if he was playing tennis for a long time and hit the ball with all his power.

He hit it with an angle that caused the ball not to reach the other side of the net. Damn, he lost a point already.

"Fault." Dearka said to him. "Second serve Athrun."

"What?" He asked the tanned blonde that was up on the umpire seat.

"I said second serve." Dearka repeated to him, but it did not answer Athrun's question.

"Second serve?" But really, what did Dearka mean by that?

"Serve again." Kira answered him. "That first serve didn't cost you any point at all."

"So I get one more chance if I serve the ball wrong again?" Athrun asked Kira.

"Nope. If you get it wrong again that'll be my point already." Kira didn't even know why he was answering his questions. But why was he asking in the first place anyway?

"Oh I see." Athrun muttered to himself, feeling very enlightened.

Kira blinked at what he said. It seemed like he didn't know the rules of a match. "Hey have you played an official tennis match before?"

"No Kira!" Cagalli answered for Athrun, wishing that it would help ease the situation they were in. "He never even has any experience or knowledge about tennis!"

"Then why did you even agree to fight me in the first place?" Kira asked him.

"Because you challenged me. So what if I never had tennis experience before?" Athrun didn't like the feeling that he was getting pitied on. Showing his weakness to others was something that he never wanted to do. "Real men accept challenges."

Dearka couldn't help but laugh at Athrun's words. Athrun was the sort of egoistic guy that never goes down without a fight. If he was to be defeated, it was because he fought, not because he backed down and admitted defeat when he didn't even try to step up to the challenge.

Cagalli on the other hand, really wanted to strangle Athrun right there. But then she realized that most guys were like that, even her brother was arrogant at times. This circumstance was different. Couldn't Athrun's pride take a step back even just this once so that she could tell Kira the p word?

"If you say so." Kira went back to his position to get ready for Athrun's second serve, albeit he was sure that it wouldn't really get past the net.

Kira was so wrong.

Athrun's second serve made it across the net. What made it more flabbergasting was that the ball was almost as fast a Kira's serve. Kira, Cagalli and Dearka couldn't help but gape at what happened. Athrun was a beginner wasn't he? How was he able to hit a ball like that?

"That was out, right?" Athrun said to them. "The ball landed outside the midline."

"Right." Dearka blinked from his astonishment. That Athrun really surprises him at times. "Love fifteen!"

Athrun's next serve was weaker than the previous one as to make it land on the midline boxes so Kira returned it perfectly.

"Love Thirty."

Even though Athrun could now serve properly, Kira was still on the upper hand. He broke Athrun's serve. But he couldn't deny that for someone who was playing the first time, he was doing pretty well. As he presumed, Athrun was really a threat to him.

An hour passed and even though Athrun was now progressing in the middle of the match with his tenacity, Kira's dexterity was still a force to be reckoned with. Athrun wasn't even able to take one game. The score was currently 5 games to love, but Athrun was now scoring points off of Kira. One more point and Kira was to be declared the winner.

It may be Athrun's last shot of the match, since the score was currently 40-30 and he was really exhausted. If he were unable to return the ball this time, everything that he practiced for would be useless. He tossed the ball in the air and hit it with all the strength that was left in him.

Since Kira was standing behind the baseline, he knew what he had to do. Volley. That was what Fuji Syuusuke did to Rafael Nadal. He was so far from the net that he couldn't get the ball, which led to Fuji Syuusuke's victory.

Kira managed to return the ball to Athrun's side and readied himself for Athrun's stroke. But he was surprised, Athrun's stance changed. The ZAFT dude was going for a volley. He saw through Athrun's move immediately and ran to the net.

Athrun couldn't stop his movement, the ball hit the racket before it landed and headed to Kira's side.

But before Kira could even get his hands on the ball, the unexpected happened.

He tripped.

That's right. Kira Yamato, one of the best tennis players back in his days, lost his footing.

To think that he only had to get one more point before winning his match with Mister Number One.

It turns out that with the stakes of the match and Athrun's progress, Kira was receiving so much pressure that he was oblivious of the fact that the laces of his shoes were untied. During his run for the volley, he stepped on the laces of his shoes and stumbled.

Cagalli and Dearka thought that Kira would stand up and continue the match for it was a deuce. But no, it turns out that Cagalli's overprotective brother twisted his ankle from his fall.

That was the cause of Athrun's untimely victory.

So Athrun Zala was still number one, after all.

But the thought of winning like that didn't seem to elate Athrun. Even though he didn't like Kira, he felt terrible that Kira had to twist his ankle. Why didn't he tie his shoelaces in the first place? He rushed to where Kira was in order to help him stand up.

"Can you walk?" He asked Kira.

"I can very much walk without your help." Kira rebutted and tried to be on his feet, but failed miserably.

"Let him help you Kira." Cagalli advised her brother. He could be such an obstinate brat at times.

"I'd rather have Dearka help me." He retorted adamantly. Really, how stubborn could he still get?

So Dearka went over to him and assisted him while he was walking. He sat down him down in one of the benches.

It was now Cagalli's chance to finally tell him. She couldn't even describe how she was longing to tell him. Kira is unable to walk properly now, so it was impossible to continue with the match.

"So Cagalli," Kira started to speak once he settled down in once of the benches. "Because I lost the match, I'll listen what the two of you have to say."

"I'll go get us some drinks." Dearka offered and walked to the vending machine. Without Dearka here, it would be much easier for Cagalli to tell.

Cagalli's heart was palpitating [1] like crazy. She never felt so anxious before in her life. This was the moment of truth. Finally, she could tell Kira what was going through on her mind for the past two weeks. At last she wouldn't feel the remorse every time she saw Kira.

Though Athrun did not show it, he was just as uneasy as Cagalli was. He was the freaking guy who impregnated Kira's beloved sister. He didn't feel any guilt when he rejected Kira's proposal of the merge, but that was another story, this was about something more personal.

She knew that this wasn't the place to tell Kira about something so vital. But it couldn't be helped. It was now or never. And besides, the poor girl couldn't hold it in much longer.

"Kira… I'm…" She knew perfectly well that she had to tell him. Now that she had the chance, she would be the stupidest girl in the world to blow it off.

"You're?" Kira urged her to continue.

"I'm… I'm…" Her face was getting hot from the pressure. Why was it so difficult to say? Tell him now Cagalli! Just tell him! She felt hot tears ready to flow out of her eyes. "I'm…"

Sensing Cagalli's strain, Athrun got a hold of her hand and clutched it firmly. He gave her a look that said, _"You can do it."_

But she couldn't, yet, she knew that she shouldn't back down now. This could be the only chance that she'll get.

"I'm pregnant." She finally managed to say the words out loud. It took her so much audacity to say that.

"What?" Kira couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was what? Did she just say that she was…

"Pregnant?" She was joking right? Cagalli couldn't be pregnant. After all Cagalli wasn't even married yet.

She nodded and she couldn't help but cry. It was all too much for her to handle.

"But… why?" He was still too stunned to register what Cagalli had just said.

"I'm sorry Kira! I'm really sorry!" She covered her face in shame.

Kira was taken aback by what was happening right now. Cagalli, his sister, just said that she was pregnant. He didn't know how to react. By looking at Athrun's face, it seemed that he was involved in all of this.

"Kira…" Cagalli called out to him but he still wasn't looking at her. She knew that Kira was disappointed, big time.

"Are you somehow involved in this?" Kira turned to Athrun who still held on Cagalli's hand.

"Yes I am." Athrun answered him directly. He didn't know what to expect since Kira was still in a state of shock.

Kira finally snapped out of his reverie. Cagalli just said that she was pregnant. Athrun also said that he had something to do with Cagalli being pregnant. Considering that Athrun was Cagalli's current boyfriend, then that must mean that Athrun was the one who made Cagalli pregnant.

And all hell broke loose.

"You bastard of an ass!" Kira threw himself at Athrun and the both of them landed on the floor with a loud thud. Kira was above Athrun and was strangling him by the collar. "Just what the hell did you do to my sister?"

"She just said that she was pregnant didn't she?" Even though Athrun was at fault, he didn't really like repeating himself or for this matter, repeating what Cagalli just said. He didn't fight back when Kira made him hit the floor, but his answer made things worse.

"You asshole!" Kira's fist went straight to Athrun's face. He could really hit a hard punch. Before he could even hit Athrun again, a pair of strong arms was stopping him from doing so.

"Hey you two! Don't fight!" Dearka was holding Kira in a way that his arms wouldn't be able to hit Athrun.

"Let me go you twit! I'll show this cocky guy a lesson!" Though Kira tried to break free of Dearka's grip on him, he couldn't. He hated to admit it, but Dearka had a death grip of him.

Cagalli feared that this would happen, but Kira had every right to be mad at them. They were doing risky things after all. They had to pay for the consequences of not being careful.

"Its fine Dearka, let him punch me." Athrun couldn't care less if Kira beat him up, all of it was his fault anyway. "You can hit me all you want. But the fact that Cagalli was pregnant because of me wouldn't change." It was true, no matter how many times Kira would hit him, it wouldn't change the situation that they were in. But it could help lessen the anger and disappointed that Kira had for his sister.

Dearka's eyes widened with what Athrun said. Cagalli was pregnant? What the hell? Why didn't Athrun tell him?

"You are really a bastard." Kira wanted to hit him with a few more punches. But he knew he would just be wasting his energy. He stood up and went to pack his belongings to leave the clubhouse. He couldn't stand being in the same place as the bastard.

"Wait Kira." Cagalli ran to her brother, but she was unable to say anything that would make the situation better.

"You know Cagalli, I'm really disappointed in you." Those were Kira's last words and he headed straight home.

-o0o-

No words were exchange between the three of them. Athrun and Cagalli both didn't feel the need to talk about how gloomy they were after they saw Kira so exasperated, much more than he was during the meeting they had in the restaurant. Dearka on the other hand, was still surprised that Athrun made Cagalli pregnant and at the same time he was annoyed that Athrun didn't even mention that to him.

Another hour passed and Athrun decided that it was best to take Cagalli home already. Perhaps Kira's blood was not as boiling as it was before. The three of them were inside Athrun's car, not bothering to talk with each other.

They reached Cagalli's house and she was hesitant if she would go down and enter her house. She couldn't bear to look at Kira's face right now that she was able to tell him. She would always see the disappointed in his eyes whenever she would look at him.

"You okay?" Athrun asked Cagalli when both of them got out of the car, leaving Dearka in the back seat. Dearka didn't bother following the both of them outside. He knew that the two of them had to talk in private.

"I really have no idea what to do now." Cagalli's voice was trembling again while she remembered the last words that Kira had said to her before he left the tennis court. "Kira's so mad at me."

"Calm down okay?" Athrun didn't like it when Cagalli cried. He didn't know why, but he always felt bad when she did.

"I can't…" Cagalli leaned against his chest and cried bitterly. "I don't want Kira to hate me."

"He doesn't hate you." He assured her. He knew that Kira loved Cagalli so much, so it was not possible for him to hate his sister for this. "Just give him time." He let her cry all that she wanted. It would be bad if she was unable to express her emotions at a time like this.

After a while, Cagalli seemed to have lightened up a bit with what he said and proceeded to enter the door. Though she was reluctant to even go inside her own house.

"Do you want me to come with you inside?" Athrun asked her, still worried about her. It was okay with him to be punched again.

She shook her head at his offer. "I bet my brother can easily kill you inside. We have a lot of knives and sharp things of the sort."

"Okay then." He gave her a light pat on the head. "I'll call you." She nodded and went inside their house; she was a bit frightened about seeing Kira.

Athrun sighed when she entered inside her house. He hoped that Kira wouldn't get furious at her any longer. Cagalli's respect for Kira was admirable.

He went back inside his car where Dearka eyed him knowingly; he now was seated in the passenger seat.

"What?" Athrun asked the man beside him that was giving him a defiant stare.

"I don't even know what to say." Dearka shrugged at him.

"It'll help me a lot if you don't say anything at all." Athrun felt the tension awhile ago, lessen. He didn't need Dearka to be reprimanding him of what to do and what not to do.

-o0o-

Cagalli entered the house to find Kira seated in their couch, appearing to be in such a deep thought. Heck he didn't even notice that Cagalli entered the house. But when Cagalli called out to him, he finally decided that he wanted to know everything that he still needs to know.

"Sit here with me on the couch will you?" He requested for her to do so. If it were an ordinary day, it would look as if the two siblings were trying to bond. But the tone of Kira's voice was serious that Cagalli understood that he meant business.

Obediently, she sat down on the couch as her brother told her to. He cleared his throat and started to speak.

"I want you to tell me the whole truth Cagalli. Don't even try to lie to me now." He warned her. He didn't like it when people were lying to him. "How long have you been pregnant?"

"Two weeks." She answered him.

"So when does sleeping with Athrun come into the picture?"

"Well, it was the Saturday when Shinn broke up with me-"

Kira cut her off. All along he thought that it was the other way around. "What? Shinn broke up with you? So you weren't really the one that dumped Shinn?"

"Yes." Was all she could answer him.

"Why exactly did Shinn break up with you?" Kira asked her first before letting her continue her story.

"He was seeing somebody else behind my back." It made Kira really infuriated. That asswipe Shinn! That was why he didn't want Shinn for Cagalli! He always thought that he wasn't that faithful to her when he looked him in the eyes. Talk about his brother instincts.

But then he temporarily forgot his fury. This was not the time to get mad at something that long passed. "Continue with your story."

"I was so disheartened with what Shinn done to me so I ran away unconsciously. I didn't want to see his face so I continued running. My feet gave up on me in front of a bar, then I went inside and that's where I met Athrun."

"You just met Athrun two weeks ago?" Kira was horrified. His sister was sleeping with a guy that she just met! But she wasn't even the type that would do that, so his conclusion was…

"Did he advance on you?" He gripped her shoulders tightly. "Like made you drunk and then raped you or something?" That Athrun was making her innocent sister so impure!

"No he didn't Kira." Cagalli tried to calm him down. Her brother was overanalyzing again. "The both of us were at fault."

"So you lied to me?" He referred to the time when Cagalli introduced Athrun to him and Lacus in the restaurant.

"I'm sorry Kira! I-" He put his hand over to Cagalli's mouth. He didn't really want to hear anything further. He heard enough.

Kira bolted up from his seat and went upstairs. Cagalli could hear his door slamming shut.

It was a mere underestimation to say that Kira was disappointed with his sister. In fact, Kira was very much upset with Cagalli. She knew how Kira didn't like having pre-marital sex. Heck he didn't even try to touch Lacus sensually even though he was tempted to do so at times. He wanted to do that when they were already married to each other.

The fact that Cagalli slept with a man she barely knew irked Kira more. She was becoming one of those girls that they always watched in movies that slept with different men. She confessed to him that he slept with Shinn once, and he forgave her. He could understand that because she was very much in love with Shinn. But this time, it was really different.

Now Cagalli was pregnant. It was no problem when they talk about her age, because Cagalli was 25. That was the perfect age for a woman to bear a child. But to bear a child because you slept with some stranger at a bar? That was really unacceptable for him.

He really loved Cagalli, she was his beloved sister, but right now, he couldn't even endure to look at her.

Kira's door was locked throughout the day, so no words were spoken between them.

-o0o-

So this was a slightly dramatic chapter!

End of chapter 9! I don't know when I'll be updating chapter 10 because classes will start soon and I really have to study for law and theology. It may take me 4 days to a week to post the tenth chapter.

Additional Notes:

[1] Hello chicken! Remember the palpitating joke I told you?

Host: Sa parte ng ating katawan, anong 'p' ang nagpapalpitate?

Player: PAA! =))

(Hahaha. It's still so funny though I laughed over this a dozen times)


	10. Siblings

A/N: *sigh* I can't believe that my blissful break is over. :( School is starting again. Sad to say, I have a lot of readings to look through for my Theology midterms, since I was unable to even browse even a page or two during my ecstatic break! :(( Curse my dislike for the subject and the initiative to study for the subject. Anyway, I might update slower that I used to during the Christmas break. Bummer. :( But I'll try, I repeat, I'll try to update this once or twice in a week! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 10: Siblings

-o0o-

Four days.

It's been four days and counting.

Ever since the unfortunate tennis match with Athrun last Sunday and after the great revelation, Kira refused to speak a word to Cagalli. Cagalli thought that she should give Kira time. By giving him time, meant that she would talk to him the next morning. She hoped and prayed that Kira would cool off by then.

Kira always had tantrums, some of even the stupidest reasons. But it never lasted even for a day. Cagalli would refrain talking to him for a few hours. After that Kira would be walking to her, shyly asking her random things so as to say that he didn't want to fight anymore. She knew that what she just said to him would take a few more hours than the usual, so she decided to try and talk to him tomorrow.

Monday morning – Cagalli, even though she was still anxious from what happened yesterday, tried to talk to Kira by greeting him a cheery 'Good morning Kira!' as always. She knew that Kira would still be mad at her, but she knew that he would still nod at her, if not the 'Good morning dear sister!' greeting. But she was wrong, as Cagalli's zealous greeting was overlooked with Kira's nonchalant stare or rather that he didn't even look at her in the eye at all. For Cagalli, it was like he never saw her or even acknowledged that she was also living in the same house as he did.

He drank his coffee the same way that he did every single morning. Heating the water in the kettle and mixing the powdered coffee after the boiled water was poured into the cup, seated in his chair while watching television or reading the newspaper all the while. The only difference was that the food that Cagalli prepared for him remained untouched. And she thought that Kira would eat it, for she was the one that made their breakfast every morning.

After drinking all the contents of his cup, he would place the empty cup in the sink and turn to Cagalli and say 'I'm going to prepare for work.' This time, he didn't do the latter and proceeded to his room without any word. A few minutes were all he needed to take a bath and get dressed for work. But as soon as he was done, it was like he was in a hurry to get out of the house as he walked briskly without even notifying Cagalli that he left already.

The same thing happened during dinner. Cagalli tried her hardest to prepare a dinner for the both of them, by cooking a new recipe that was recommended for her by Miriallia. But as soon as Kira got home, he went straight to the living room and called for a Chinese Takeout, muttering to himself that it was going to be his dinner for the night. It made Cagalli depressed knowing that he wanted to eat cheap Chinese Takeout rather than her homemade dishes. But he was mad at her for what she did, and she had to respect that.

For the succeeding days, the same thing happened every morning, Kira ignoring and walking past her. Every dinnertime, things would be slightly different because he would order a pizza or simply eat dinner outside alone. Lacus was out of the country for the moment. She and her father were visiting some distant relative that they haven't spoken to for a while.

Cagalli getting poignant at the fact that Kira preferred to be eating outside alone than to be eating homemade dinner with her. She knew for a fact that Kira absolutely hated eating alone, he would always have someone to accompany him. Did he really detest her to the point that he couldn't even stand her presence?

But she had to try harder to get Kira's forgiveness. That was what she yearned for at the past few days.

She had to try once more.

-o0o-

"What are you doing here again Zala?" Cagalli furrowed her brow on the man that just entered the pastry shop. Ever since the tennis match and confession, Athrun has been frequenting her pastry shop for his lunch break. One time he even brought two friends of his: Dearka, the one she meet last Sunday and a silver-haired guy named Yzak. It was okay at first, but his two friends were causing much havoc in the pastry shop as they insulted each other. The silver-haired guy even wanted to punch Dearka. And to think they called each other 'friends'.

"Is it that illegal to worry about you and check to see how you're doing?" He smirked at her when she was looking past him. No, he did not bring Dearka and Yzak along; they were covering for him because he was supposed to be meeting a client, much to their dismay. Dearka, of course wanted to come with Athrun. He said that he found some hot chick in the pastry shop, but refused to tell Athrun who is was, assuring him that it wasn't Cagalli. Yzak, on the other hand was infuriated that he had to cover up for the chickboy Zala. But nevertheless, the two of them agreed to do it anyway.

"Well you call me two times a day so I still don't get why you stop by here." She retorted. He called her in the mornings, claiming that it would nice to be the one who talked to her first and in the evening, so that he could be the one that she would last talk to. Of course he was, Kira wasn't talking to her. "And besides, isn't your workplace far from here?"

"Because when I call you, I won't know if you're actually telling the truth just by listening to your voice. You may not be okay and say otherwise or whimper your heart out after you always hang up the phone one me." He responded and walked near her. "And besides, isn't this better? You're having another regular customer!"

"Right." She couldn't say no to that, not when Miriallia that was behind her, and she felt like Miriallia was giving her an evil glare. Miriallia didn't like to drive customers away. More customers meant more profit.

"So, how are things with your brother? Has he lightened up yet?" He asked her as he got a seat near the door.

"Not really." The tone of her voice saddened when Athrun brought up the question. Frankly, she wasn't lying. For the past four days, she didn't even receive a single glance or nod from Kira, even though she continued to talk to him and tried to make up with him.

"Why is he taking so long to come around?" Athrun was pissed at the thought of Cagalli's twin brother being so childish while ignoring Cagalli's efforts. Cagalli told him that he wasn't eating anything that he was cooking. The damn sore loser number three was wasting food, not to mention the hard work that Cagalli was putting into every dish.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Maybe because Lacus isn't here to talk to him. Lacus is the only one that has the power to persuade him in things like this." It was true; one word from Lacus, and taking into consideration her charisma, and Kira would surely listen no matter the circumstance. Not only in Kira's case, but for almost every person that Lacus was acquainted with, even Cagalli. Lacus could really convince people that Cagalli once thought that she could be an influential politician that would easily win over the citizens.

"But even then…" Athrun muttered to himself. Her brother must really be that mad at her to not speak to her for days. "Can I do something to help y-"

"Oh no. Don't even bother. You'll help me all right, if you don't do anything at all." She abruptly cut Athrun off. With him trying to help out, it would only make things worse. Kira didn't even like him in the first place, and it was all thanks to him. Adding to that the fact that Athrun made her pregnant. If only he had made a good first impression, then Kira would have took the issue lighter.

"How rude." He stated but Cagalli didn't even hear him as she started to go to the other customers already. It was lunchtime of course; there were many people that were waiting to be seated.

"Anyway, talk to you soon." She gave him a curt nod and proceeded to attend to the other customers.

He didn't say anything but watched her as she served the other customers. He got kind of jealous that she was giving the other people some courtesy while all he got from going here everyday was 'What are you doing here you sex machine?'. But then again he really didn't mind if that was her 'special treatment' to him and only him.

-o0o-

"How lucky! The gorgeous hunk was here again!" Shirley squealed in the locker room as she changed from her work clothes into the normal clothes that she usually wears. "I wish he were here everyday so I get more inspired to work!"

"Don't be silly Shirley!" Milly stopped her from saying anything more, somehow knowing that the gorgeous hunk was only visiting the shop because of their boss. "You've got a boyfriend remember? And besides, I think that guy's only interested in Cagalli."

"You got that right!" Miriallia verified Milly's words and started to remove her own uniform.

Shirley's high spirits turned into a childish pout, so she didn't have any chance of going further with that hot heck of a man. Cagalli got to him first. Damn. "How lucky Cagalli is! Why does she always get the good-looking hot-body ones while I get those normal-looking and not-so-hot-body ones?"

"Wait, you think Shinn's a hot one?" Miriallia raised her eyebrow at her. No way did Shinn look like a hot guy. Sure he looked better than an average guy, but he didn't seem that good-looking and hot. Plus, his attitude is a big minus.

"Don't you think so too?" Shirley thought that Miriallia and Milly would both agree with her, but only Milly did by giving her a nod.

"Nope. Totally not hot and totally not gorgeous." Miriallia was now done changing and closed her locker shut.

"That's a matter of opinion." Shirley giggled as got her bag and went to Milly was already near the staff exit. "We'll be going ahead now. Can you tell Cagalli that we left?"

"Sure." Miriallia nodded. After all, she and Cagalli were the ones that went home together. "Bye."

After Shirley and Milly left, Miriallia sat in one of the chairs in the staff room, thinking that Cagalli was just tidying things up in the office. She took out her phone out of boredom and started to play sudoku, the hardest level.

But when she finished three puzzles already, considering how much time it took her to do that, she became impatient and looked at the clock. Thirty minutes have passed since she started playing. She didn't realize that she was waiting for Cagalli for a long time already.

"Where the hell is she?" She wondered to herself what Cagalli was still doing while in awe that she managed to finish three puzzles in a span of thirty minutes.

She stood up and walked straight to Cagalli's office. It appeared that Cagalli was too busy typing away in her computer. Certainly, she wasn't typing their financial statements; they had an accountant to do that.

"What are you doing?" Miriallia asked her and was somehow annoyed that Cagalli still was in her work clothes. And she thought she took so much time changing, but here Cagalli was, still in a need to change her clothes.

"I'm searching the ingredients of Kira's favourite chicken dish." She said while she continued to click on her mouse.

"Oh you mean the dish wherein you get to put the chicken in an oven?" Miriallia asked her, while trying to remember the name of the dish.

"Yeah that." Cagalli frantically searched the internet but found nothing, much to her dismay. "Do you know the name of that dish?"

"Uhm no…" Miriallia ate that dish several times in Cagalli's house already, but then again she didn't ask what dish it was.

"Fine…" Cagalli gave up in trying to find the dish if she didn't know the name of it. There were dozens of results that popped out but she knew that it wasn't the dish that she and Kira always ate during special occasions.

She sighed as she shut down her computer, she would just have to make the dish even though she barely knew how to make it because it was always Kira that made it.

-o0o-

"So Kira still hasn't come around hasn't he?" Miriallia and Cagalli were both seated in the train and were on the way home.

"Not yet. I'm wondering if he would ever come around." Cagalli sighed again. It was really hard living in the same roof with a person that didn't even want to talk to you. "He's been ignoring me for days."

"Typical Kira when he's mad." Miriallia sighed with her. It was hard to see her best friend always so down in the dumps lately. But she realized that being dejected with Cagalli wouldn't help the situation at all. She tried to cheer up her best friend. "It's okay. I'm sure if he really sees that you're really honest, he'll be able to forgive you."

"I guess so." She couldn't help but sigh for the second time the moment they got on the train. "But now matter what I do, he still doesn't talk to me."

"Well if you do this dish successfully, I bet you'll be able to make him soften a little." Encouragement, it was the only thing that Miriallia could offer her right now, since she didn't know how to help her best friend with her problem.

"If I mess up or do it successfully, it wouldn't really matter. It'd be the same. He'll pass by me and go straight to his room the moment he gets home." She was feeling so pessimistic now.

"So are you giving up now?" Miriallia questioned her. "You know, it'll make more difference when you try."

"You're right!" Cagalli said, beaming with hope. "I have to show Kira that I really am sorry! If I give up now, then the chances of Kira speaking to me again are very slim."

"That's the girl I know." Miriallia smiled when her best friend regained her determination. "A way to a man's stomach is through his heart!"

"Maybe you meant 'a way to a man's heart is through is stomach' Miriallia?" Cagalli eyed her best friend. She had a habit of mixing words like that.

"Oh right." Miriallia laughed at her silly mistake. Cagalli couldn't help but laugh as well.

Their laughter was cut short as the train station reached Miriallia's stop. "Well that's my stop." Miriallia smiled back at her best friend once more and proceeded to the door. "Tell me if something other than him ignoring you will happen later okay?"

"I will." Cagalli nodded. "Bye. Be safe."

The rest of the trip home was spent by Cagalli by trying to remember how Kira cooks it. Luckily, it wasn't as hard to remember because they have that dish almost every time there is a holiday or a celebration.

-o0o-

With one final ingredient that was mixed with the chicken, Cagalli was pleased that it wasn't so difficult to make the dish at all. All she had to do was make the breeding and sauce for the chicken. She put the tray of uncooked chicken inside the oven and started to set the time. But the problem was that she didn't know how long it took to cook the chicken.

"How long does Kira usually set the oven?" She tried to remember but to no avail, so she decided to just estimate the time that was needed.

She set the timer to 30 minutes because that was the amount of time they needed when they cooked turkey or duck. She figured that chicken would be just the same. "There it's almost done!"

While waiting for the chicken to get cooked, she decided to take a bath first.

"_Everything feels so stressful right now."_ She mused when she got in the bath tub. It was a very good feeling to be relaxing in a warm tub after being in the kitchen. She hoped that with this, Kira would finally talk to her. She didn't mind if he still didn't want to forgive her for what she did, she just wanted him to acknowledge her presence in the house. It felt like she was a ghost for he always pretended that she wasn't around even though she really was.

She didn't know if it was exhaustion or the tub was really that relaxing because soon after she got inside the tub and before she knew it, she fell asleep. But she awakened to the smell of something burning.

"Oh shit!" She hysterically came out of the tub and put the clothes that were already placed in her bed and dashed to the kitchen. It was from the kitchen alright. There was smoke that was coming from the oven. How did that even happen? Did she set the timer too long?

Coughing as she opened the oven, she peered to find that the chicken looked so burnt. It was inedible in every way. She couldn't even tell that it was the raw piece of chicken that she was preparing a while ago. Now, it looked like some enormous piece of coal that somehow made its way to their oven.

"What am I going to do now?" She whimpered to herself. This was supposed to help her apologize to Kira, but this would just make Kira angrier when he sees that she ruined their kitchen.

Looking at the burnt chicken, she soon realized that she was about to cry. Why did it have to burn now? It was such a bad timing and not to mention that Kira would be home pretty soon. She didn't have the time or the materials to cook up a new one. If he were to see the state of the kitchen, he'd probably ignore her more. She didn't want that. She wanted him to talk to her and treat her like before.

"_It looks like I have to clean this mess first." _While she was starting to clean up the kitchen, she didn't even notice that Kira was already home.

"What's going here?" He was panting when he stopped to look at the kitchen; his sister was kneeling near the oven. So this was where the smoke was coming from. The moment he saw smoke coming from their house, he panicked and ran inside for fear of what may have happened to his sister. "Where on earth did that smoke come from?"

"Kira!" Cagalli was stunned when she saw Kira in front of the doorway. She didn't even notice him enter, or even hear the car park in their driveway. "You're back."

"Cagalli! Are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?" He knelt to her and held her shoulders tightly, like he always did when she manages to hurt herself from petty things.

"I-I'm okay." She managed to say. She couldn't believe that Kira was talking to her already and looking so worried about her. It was the look that she hasn't seen in a couple of days and she couldn't deny that she missed it horribly.

"Are you sure?" He didn't seem to believe her. After all, it was the first time that he saw smoke coming from the kitchen.

"Yeah. I am." She assured him. His overprotective side was now evident again.

"What happened here anyway? Was something burning a while ago?" He stood up to inspect the kitchen. But found that the smoke indeed came from the oven, as he suspected.

"I'm sorry." She murmured to him. "I was trying to cook your favourite dish a while ago… I really didn't know how to cook it so I think I must have set the timer way too long…" She was now blabbering out of nervousness.

"Cagalli…" He felt guilty that he paid no attention to Cagalli for the past few days. She was really trying so hard to redeem herself, but it always ended up getting unnoticed because he didn't give her a chance.

"I'm really sorry about this Kira." She couldn't stop the tears from flowing freely now. All she wanted was for Kira to talk to her, but now that she was, she didn't know what to say to him.

Now Kira was also at a loss of words. He felt awful about the way he treated Cagalli. After all the effort that she tried, he always disregarded her. Now he couldn't help but feel guilty for his actions.

"I'm always messing up aren't I?" She covered her face in humiliation. She couldn't redeem herself with Kira now. "I'm really sorry Kira! Forgive me!" She wept with all the misery that she was harbouring for a few days.

"I'm sorry too!" She was astonished when Kira enclosed her arms around her. He couldn't take being to cold to Cagalli anymore. Cagalli was his sister for Pete's sake! It wasn't right and it didn't make him any happier. In fact, it made him gloomier. "I'm sorry for being so insensitive to you these days. Forgive me too."

"Of course I will!" At last Kira was lightening up to her again and he even forgave her. It was all that Cagalli could have wished for. It made her really happy so couldn't help but wailed like a little child. She gripped on to Kira's sleeve and poured her heart out.

"I'm really sorry about ignoring you for these past days. But promise me you won't tell me anymore lies and nothing but the truth, okay?" He requested.

"I will. I promise Kira."

As soon as Cagalli calmed down, Kira finally let go of her. "Do you want to eat outside?"

"Eat outside?" Right. She was hungry. Her stomach didn't even try to deny that she was by grumbling.

"Yeah. We'll just clean the kitchen when we get back." He reached out his hand for her to help her to stand up. She took it his hand and Kira pulled her up.

"I don't really want to eat outside. Can't we just eat here?" She remembered that she already changed into her sleeping clothes. It was too much of a hassle to change into a new set of clothes.

"Well okay." He lightened up to the idea of eating at home. "We can watch a movie marathon while eating. What do you want to eat anyway?"

"Ice cream." She instinctively said what food first came into her mind.

"Ice cream? But aren't you hungry?" He asked her. Ice cream wouldn't really make her full.

"Yeah, I guess I want to eat ice cream for dessert." She suggested.

"Want me to order pizza for dinner?" He got his phone and started to punch numbers. "Let me make it up to you by treating you."

"Okay then." She didn't know what she wanted to eat anyway.

"I think there's still ice cream on the freezer." Kira pointed to the kitchen. He was right; there was still chocolate ice cream.

"Kira, this is only good for one person." She called out to him.

"You can have it." He said to her before speaking to the pizza guy on the phone.

She felt so happy that Kira was acting normal towards her again so she pulled out her phone and started to text.

-o0o-

Today was a busy day at work indeed. Besides the number of meetings that he had today, Yzak didn't spare him any mercy by giving him a long sermon on how he shouldn't blow off meetings with clients as soon as he got back. It made Yzak infuriated to find out that Athrun wasn't even listening at all and he was tempted to clobber him, if only Dearka didn't get in the way.

Having the cold water in the shower to drip on his body him relax and somehow forget the things that happened today. Work is such a bother. His mind wandered to a certain pregnant blonde woman. What could she be doing right now? Could her sore loser number three of a brother forgave her already? He wanted to know. He decided that he would call her after his shower. So he hurried in finishing.

After having exited the shower, with a towel wrapped around his lower body and another one draped on his hair, went to his bedroom and searched for his phone.

When he saw his phone, he was surprised that it was beeping. Someone sent him a message. He looked at the caller id and smirked to himself. "Speak of the vixen."

He sat on his bed as he clicked the message open and read it silently.

_From: Cagalli_

_We're okay now. :) Yay!_

_P.S. He wants to talk to you tomorrow._

He quickly sent her a reply.

_To: Cagalli_

_That's good to hear._

_Okay. Hopefully he won't have an outburst again._

It didn't take long for Athrun to receive a new message from her.

_From: Cagalli_

_Thanks. :D_

_I hope not. Don't say anything that'll infuriate him. _

He sent her another reply.

_To: Cagalli_

_Only if I can help it. ;)_

_Goodnight Princess._

Before he lay down, Cagalli sent him another message.

_From: Cagalli_

_Perv._

He considered it as a 'Goodnight' and went to bed.

-o0o-

Done! :D A happy chapter? HAHAH review. :-bd

No Additional Notes for this chapter! Maybe next chapter, it'll be a funny chapter since everyone is happy now. :P


	11. Meet, meet, meet

A/N: I was supposed to update last Friday, but my mom kept on hogging the computer to use facebook. And you'd think it was supposed to be me that was always in front of the computer.

I was browsing mangafox the other day and ended up viewing the forum part of Gundam Seed. I'm so happy to inform you AsuCaga fans that Fukuda, the director of Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, made two Anime Music Clips, after affirming on tv that Athrun came back to Cagalli. It has Fukuda's signature in the end! It's a reliable source! Just wanted to share it to all AsuCaga fans!

Here are the links. :P

http : / / www . youtube . com / watch?v=bOLyIujhcqY

http :/ / www . youtube . com / watch?v=eHqOC...e=channel_page

Now back to the story. :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 11: Meet, meet, meet

-o0o-

"It's twelve o one!" Kira snarled when he glanced at his watch. He and Cagalli were in a coffee shop near their house. Mister Number One was one minute late and he personally didn't like waiting at all. He always wanted to be on time. "He's late! Why that little-"

"Kira, relax will you?" Cagalli sighed deeply. Her brother was getting so overrated over Athrun's one minute tardiness. So he was late for sixty freaking seconds. Her brother was always making a big deal out of everything. "It's not like you were never late when you had appointments."

"I'm never late." He beamed proudly.

"Right…" Cagalli agreed to him sarcastically. "Like the time that Lacus called me to ask where you were because you two were supposed to meet two hours ago."

Kira blushed in embarrassment when he remembered that. It was truly mortifying to make your girlfriend wait for you for two hours. Considering that the guy should be the one that does the waiting during dates. "It's not like I meant it you know!" He defended himself. "There was a pregnant woman that was going to give birth to a child so naturally you would bring her to a hospital." Cagalli flinched a little bit when she heard the word 'pregnant'.

"But you were late, weren't you?" She teased his brother some more. Getting on his nerves was her hobby, considering that he could easily get aggravated with childish jokes.

"Look now he's late for two minutes already!" He changed the topic because he didn't like admitting that he was sometimes late. "How long does he expect us to wait?" But really, they just got here five minutes before twelve because it was so near their house, so they were waiting for Athrun for only seven minutes.

"You're being too frantic." A voice from above them said. Both of them looked up to see Athrun already standing in front of them.

"You're two minutes and ten seconds late Athrun Zala from ZAFT Fragrances." Kira gave him a defiant stare. For Cagalli, it was weird that her brother said his full name, including his job. It was like he was introducing Athrun to her.

"I used the two minutes to park my car and ten seconds to walk over here, so technically I'm not late because I was already in the establishment at exactly twelve." He smirked at the man that was glowering in front of him. He took a seat beside Cagalli and asked him straight to the point. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"As you know, Cagalli's pregnant." Kira started and glanced at Cagalli who was across him. "So what are you planning to do?"

"What do you mean?" He was unsure of what Kira was trying to ask him.

"Well…" Kira cleared his throat to thoroughly explain. "Do you plan to support the baby or something?"

"Of course I am." He laughed at Kira's stupid question. Does he look like someone who would abscond from something important like making a girl pregnant? "Obviously, I'm not hiding from Cagalli aren't I? Real men take responsibilities for all the inconvenience that they caused." His sardonic answer caused his left foot to be stomped by Cagalli's right foot.

"Ouch!" He yelped from the pain that Cagalli did by stepping on his foot. "What was that for?"

"Oh nothing." Cagalli mockingly smiled at him, which he thought was very sly of her. "Why do you keep saying those 'real men' stuff anyway?" Really, she often heard Athrun say that.

"Oh that? It's an inside joke between Dearka, Yzak and me." He said to her.

"Yzak is that platinum guy?"

Kira cleared his throat even louder, so as to convey that he was still there and he did not enjoy being the odd one out. The two stopped to look at him and he continued talking. "Anyway, that's good to hear that you won't be running off."

"I can cover up for all the medical expenses throughout the duration of Cagalli's pregnancy." Athrun suggested. That was the least he could do. The expenses that he would spend were nothing compared to what Cagalli would be doing which was to carry with her the baby for nine whole months.

"What?" Kira was taken aback by Athrun's offer. He thought he would be the one to spend for all of the check-ups and for the birth of the baby. "I'm Cagalli's brother so I think I would be more qualified to do that."

"So what if you're the brother?" He retorted. "I'm the father of that baby that Cagalli is carrying so I think I should be spending for the expenses!"

"I told you that I want to be the one to do it already! Why are you so persistent?" Kira was starting to be vexed. Mister Number one always loved to start a fight.

"Then what's my purpose for all of these? I'd be rendered useless if I don't pay for all the baby's medical expenses!" Athrun fought back. He was already volunteering and this sore loser number three was rejecting his help.

"Why are you two fighting with each other again?" Cagalli sighed in defeat. She knew it would come to this sooner or later. After all, when two people with both utmost dislike for the other are in one room, devastation is the result. "Can you two just share with the expenses?" She suggested to the both of them. Although she was extremely happy that she didn't have to spend a single Orb dollar, Athrun and Kira were starting to get heated up again.

"NO WAY IN THE HELL!" Both of them answered her, their glaring eyes not faltering.

"Fine, fine." Cagalli tried to resort this little dispute of theirs and pulled out a coined from her pocket. "Whoever wins will pay, okay?"

"Heads." Both of them said at the same time.

"You copycat! I chose heads first!" Kira pointed at Athrun accusingly.

"No doubt that I said 'heads' faster than you did." Athrun fought back.

"Oh no you didn't!"

"Yes I did!"

"BOTH OF YOU FIGHT OVER EVERY LITTLE THING!" Cagalli yelled at the both of them. "Athrun you take tails, don't complain."

"Yes ma'am." He decided to give in to the childish boy in front of him and choose tails instead.

With one flip, the coin was tossed in the air. Cagalli caught the coin and placed in on her shoulder. "Tails. Athrun you win."

"What?" Kira couldn't believe the result of the coin toss. He lost to Athrun even in a petty little coin toss! "That's unfair! You chose tails for him Cagalli!"

"It's not my fault that you didn't want to give up heads now was it?" Cagalli raised her eyebrow at him. "You can't complain either!"

"But-" Kira couldn't say anything more to convince Cagalli that he should pay for the expenses for Cagalli's glare at him prohibited him to do so. He didn't like to insist what he wanted when his sister looked so dangerous.

"So it's settled then." Athrun grinned at his victory and at Kira's bitter scowl. Kira seemed to be like Yzak, they both can't take a joke. But Yzak was obviously much more hot-headed than Kira is. "I think it's also compulsory that I take and fetch Cagalli to her work everyday."

"What?" It seemed to Kira that Mister Number One was taking the limelight on him. Was he trying to beat him to Cagalli as well? "That isn't necessary! I drive my own car you know!"

"But Cagalli still rides a train to and from work doesn't she?" Athrun took a glimpse of Cagalli's bewildered face before looking back at Kira.

"That's true but-"

"But what? We can't possibly let Cagalli ride a train now that she's pregnant." Of course Athrun was sincere about that. He didn't want anything dangerous to happen to Cagalli while on the train. People riding the train can be really dirty sometimes, they push people just so they could get on the train.

"Then I should be the one to take her to and from work not you!" Kira put his arms across his chest. No way was he going to let him do all the work.

"You say that, but you let her ride the train all the time."

The two of them were starting to bicker with each other again, Cagalli wanted to save herself from the misery. "Do you want me to flip the coin again?"

"Okay then." The both of them agreed at the same time. They were starting to sound like the twins in this case, not Cagalli and Kira.

With a flip of Cagalli's coin, both the guys anticipated for the result, Kira wishing for heads and Athrun wishing for tails.

Unfortunately, Kira was on a losing streak.

"Tails!" Athrun snicker, much to the annoyance of Kira.

"Cagalli, does that coin of yours have 'tails' on both sides?" Kira frowned. Why was he always so unlucky when he goes up against Mister Number One?

"Cagalli Hibiki?" A girl from behind them asked.

Cagalli turned to look at the person who called out to her and she was taken aback. It wasn't just any girl; it was one of her close friends from college, Shiho and she was holding a cup of frappe.

"Shiho!" She gave her friend a big. It was a long time that she last saw her. Shiho, Miriallia and Cagalli were an inseparable group back in college.

"It's you!" Shiho wrapped her arms around her friend.

"What are you doing here?" Cagalli asked her friend excitedly, she thought that Shiho worked abroad.

"Oh I came back here of course. I miss Orb." She laughed at her friend's shocked reaction. Shiho then leaned closer to Cagalli. "Who are those two good-looking guys with you? Are you dating the both of them? But whatever happened to Shinn?"

"Shiho calm down. I'm not dating those two idiots." Cagalli whispered back to Shiho. It was very embarrassing for anyone else in the café to hear, not when they were causing too much ruckus awhile ago. "The guy over there is my brother." She pointed to Kira. "And that guy is er…" She didn't know how to introduce Athrun to Shiho. "Er… That guy is Kira's best friend."

"WE ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT BEST FRIENDS!" Kira and Athrun snapped at her while giving each other intense glares.

"See?" Cagalli laughed nervously. "They're just having an argument and I'm helping them fix it."

"Oh I see…" Shiho changed the subject. "You definitely have to call Miriallia! We have to eat dinner! I'll be here in Orb until next week. We have a lot to catch up on!"

"Of course she'll be up for anything." Cagalli assured her. "I'll get your number." She pulled out her phone out of her pocket.

"Silly Cagalli." Shiho laughed at her friend. "The number that's stored in your phone is still the number I'm using."

"Oh right…" Cagalli giggled at the realization. "Anyway, I have to get back to helping these best friends reunite."

"I TOLD YOU WE'RE NOT BEST FRIENDS!" Kira and Athrun retorted.

"You sure have a lot more to work on." Shiho advised her. "Those two don't seem to want to make up with each other."

"Anyway…" Cagalli didn't want to be further embarrassed by Kira and Athrun. "I'll just call you when and where."

"Of course." She gave Cagalli a light peck on the cheek. "See you then."

"Yeah see you." Cagalli waved at Shiho as she exited the café and sat back with Athrun and Kira.

"Is that girl the one that was always with you and Miriallia back in college?" Kira asked Cagalli as she sat down.

"Yeah. I'm surprised that you still remember." She nodded.

"She was also on the tennis club wasn't she?" Athrun tried to enter the conversation.

"Yea-" Cagalli realized something before she even finished her answer. "Wait a second, how did you-"

"It was a lucky guess." Athrun gave her a wink.

"You're a stalker aren't you?" Kira raised his eyebrow at Athrun.

"Maybe." He answered playfully.

-o0o-

"But seriously, how did you know that Shiho was in tennis club?" Cagalli asked Athrun when they left the café. Kira left them earlier, because he had to fetch Lacus from the airport. He persuaded Cagalli to come with him, because he extremely didn't trust Mister Number One. Cagalli refused to come with him to the airport, knowing that Kira and Lacus would be so lovey dovey after they haven't seen each other for a week. Cagalli wanted to be spared from that. The two of them were leisurely walking on the streets looking for an ice cream stand.

"You told me that during the night we met, remember?" Athrun reminded her.

"You got a really good memory huh?" Cagalli mused. "How much of it do you remember?"

"Do you really want to know what you said to me during that night?" Athrun sure had a good memory.

"Yeah tell me." Cagalli was curious to know what she could have possibly said to him when she had too much intake of alcohol.

Athrun cleared his throat and started to enumerate the things that he remembered. "You flunked your first accounting test but aced the succeeding ones back in college. Reading manga is your secret hobby. [1] You wanted a dog for a pet but your brother didn't allow you because he wanted cats. Your favorite cell phone fell in the toilet of your best friend's house during a sleep over. You like to sleep in during weekends but even so you still wake up earlier than your brother. Sunflowers are your favorite flowers. For you, chili sauce is better with kebabs than yogurt. You hate wearing high-heeled shoes and dresses. You don't wear pink clothes. The first time that you ever had sex-"

"Okay." Cagalli cut him off. So she told him _that_ much. So she was _that_ drunk. "That's enough."

"Too bad. That wasn't even one fourth of what you told me." Athrun chuckled at the embarrassed blonde beside him. "That's why I offered to take you home. You were too tipsy, maybe even drunk, back then so it kind of worried me when you said you would take a cab."

"But you took me back to your flat, not to my place." She emphasized the last words.

"Because you ordered me to. You said: 'Drive to your flat! Hurry! Hurry!' so I didn't have a choice but to take you there." He imitated Cagalli's drunken voice while she commanded him to do that.

Her face was getting too much flushed that she might run out of blood already, remembering that way she acted that night was too mortifying. "Stop that!" She slapped his shoulders to prevent him from imitating her more.

"You look cute when you're embarrassed." He stuck out his tongue, making Cagalli blush more.

"One more word from you and I swear I will punch your face!" Cagalli resorted to threatening the sex machine, hoping that it would work.

"Look Cagalli, there's an ice cream shop over there." Athrun averted Cagalli's attention and pointed his finger to the direction of an ice cream shop nearby.

"There is!" Cagalli squealed in delight. She's been craving to eat chocolate ice cream for how many days now.

"Is the ice cream there even good?" Athrun asked her, the prices of the ice cream seemed to be so cheap. Compared to the 110-Orb-dollar-once-scoop ice cream that he bought her, the prices here were cut more than half. Seriously, 40 Orb dollars for two scoops?

"Who cares?" Cagalli was already walking towards the door. "The prices are cheap anyway."

He followed her inside the ice cream shop and didn't find the shop so bad at all. The ambiance inside was refreshing, just like Cagalli's pastry shop.

"Are you going to buy?" Cagalli asked him, she was already in the counter.

"Yeah I guess. Though I'm not really in the mood to eat one right now." He answered, might as well eat ice cream with her. He also wanted to try how the ice cream here tasted. He walked to Cagalli and had a good look of the list of ice cream flavors on the wall. "I want Vanilla." He told her, just in case she would recommend him to buy chocolate.

"I'll treat you." She offered.

"_Treat me?"_ For Athrun, making a girl treat a boy was unacceptable. Boys should be the one doing the spending. As far as he could remember, Meyrin never had to spend even a single cent when they were still together. He took out his wallet and protested. "I think I should be the one treating you."

"Don't be ridiculous, I already said I was treating you." Cagalli declared. She wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. What is with men and their pride anyway?

The look on Cagalli's face told Athrun that he didn't have a choice. She would be treating him. She looked so scary that Athrun couldn't do anything but to comply with what Cagalli offered.

"Okay then." Cagalli's frightening expression turned into a jolly one. "Go find us a seat."

Cagalli didn't need to tell Athrun for there were so many unoccupied seats. The both of them could even lie down on four aligned chairs and still nobody would be out of chairs.

Athrun got the table that was near the door and pretty soon Cagalli joined her. She got herself a big cup of chocolate ice cream with a lot of sprinkles and syrup while he only got a vanilla ice cream cone. Wow, how does she manage to stay that slim if she eats this much sweet? "Here you go." She handed him his vanilla ice cream.

"Thanks." Athrun got the ice cream cone from Cagalli and stared at it for a while. Compared to Cagalli's ice cream hell of a bucket, his ice cream cone looked like it was bought for a little girl.

"What's with that bothersome look?" Cagalli raised her eyebrow. "Didn't you say you wanted Vanilla?"

"Yeah but I didn't think you would buy the smallest one…" His voice trailed off.

"But you said that you weren't in the mood to eat ice cream? So I figured I would just buy the smallest one. Do you want the bigger one? I can buy…" She started to stand up again.

"No it's okay." He stopped her from going to the counter. "Thanks for this." Athrun tasted it. The ice cream didn't taste so bad after all.

"Wait I have to call Miriallia first and tell her Shiho's visiting." She told him and brought out her phone. "Excuse me for a second."

"Yeah sure." He wasn't sure if she still heard him because she was already on her way outside dialing Miriallia's number.

Looking at Cagalli talking with Miriallia on the phone, Athrun couldn't help but think that anyone who would see her standing like that would instantly think that she was attractive. Not to mention that she doesn't even bother to girl herself up. She was just wearing a normal t-shirt and pants and with no make-up on, but still, she looked really pretty. He wasn't even joking when he teases her 'pretty'.

Athrun was a guy that didn't like socializing with many people. There were times that he and the guys would go out to a bar to drink and to party. It was no question that girls would flock to him and ask for his number, but he would simply shun them. Sure they were attractive and sexy, but then again he wasn't interested in the first place. With Cagalli, he found her so striking that it was impossible to even ignore her. The moment that he saw her, grief-stricken, that was the first time that he ever talked to someone just because he wanted to.

His guess was right as there were a pair of guys that passed by and simply turned back to look at her. Bingo. Then another came by. Then another. He wondered what it would be like if she ever dressed up like Meyrin always does. How many more guys would she even attract? How many necks would turn around to take one good look at her? Meyrin always wore a top that would be really low, her cleavage would busting out and a skirt or short that with one slight bend, her underwear could be seen.

He sometimes felt uncomfortable when he had dates with Meyrin. Whenever they were across each other, he had a difficulty on focusing on her face because he sometimes would look at her breasts unconsciously, which really got him tempted at times. That was why he would always bring with him a jacket to cover her up, also from the stares of other perverted bastards that would whistle whenever Meyrin would pass by.

Speak of the devil.

It was very unlikely that when he was just thinking about Meyrin, she appeared just like magic. She exited the shop that was just across the ice cream shop that he and Cagalli were in. It seemed to him that she was waiting for someone, probably the guy he saw him with.

Unfeeling as it may be, but Athrun didn't even feel a pang of hurt on his chest when he saw him. Sure that he felt so betrayed when he found out that she cheated on him, again. Now that he saw her again, it was like looking at another random girl that was walking down the street. She was mixing in the crowd that he tended to ignore every single day.

By that time, Cagalli was back in their table and devouring her ice cream like she never ate the chicken sandwich at the café awhile ago. Using her spoon, she scooped a mountain of chocolate ice cream and plunged it into her mouth. Athrun was amused that this girl could eat so ungirly [2], so out of poise.

"Hey." Athrun called her attention, wishing that it wouldn't annoy the heck out of her, for she sure looked like she was enjoying her ice cream.

"Yeah?" Apparently it didn't piss her off.

"You want to see something interesting?" He asked her.

"What?" She looked around the ice cream shop and searched for this 'something amazing' but found none. "What's amazing?"

"That's my ex-girlfriend over there." He pointed to the clothing store in front of the ice cream store.

"That redhead?" Cagalli took a little more time to examine the girl that Athrun was pointing at. Seems like a typical girly-girl with the typical miniskirt and cute top.

"Yeah that redhead." Since no other redhead was present.

"Oh…" Cagalli didn't know what to say to him. Was he also experiencing that indignant feeling like she had when she saw Shinn again? Was she going to say 'I'm sorry' or 'It's okay?' It was really confusing.

"What do you think?" Athrun asked her, cutting her trail of thoughts. "Is she pretty?"

"Hmm…" Athrun was being so sentimental! But it's understandable since he wasn't the one at fault when the two of them broke up. So he was missing his ex-girlfriend already, even though the girl cheated on him. "She's pretty." She said, hoping that it would lighten the mood.

"I think she's rather plain." He uttered.

"Huh?" Maybe Cagalli was wrong, he wasn't being sentimental. He was being bitter.

"I said I think she's plain. You may find her pretty because she has loads of make-up on, but when you see her without it… she's plain." He explained to her while remembering the first time he saw her when she wasn't wearing any make-up. At first, he wasn't even able to recognize her.

"Okay…" Cagalli went back to eating her ice cream. Maybe this was how guys acted when they were bitter after their break-up. Of course she can't expect the sex-machine to bawl in front of her in this kind of public place.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Athrun noticed that Cagalli was giving him a peculiar look.

"Nothing really… Aren't you sad?" She inquired.

He couldn't help but laugh at her question. "Sad?"

"Because you just saw your ex-girlfriend…"

"So?"

"Aren't you sad that you saw her again?"

"Not really." He shrugged.

"Why?" She was really curious. She had no idea what runs on this sex machine's head.

"I don't know…" Athrun answered her. He really didn't understand why. When they broke up, he didn't even bother to shed a tear and instead had sex with the blonde that was sitting beside her.

"That's wei-" Cagalli stopped at what she was saying and her eyes widened.

"What?" Athrun turned to look at where Cagalli's eyes were.

It was Meyrin. She entered the ice cream store. Why oh why did she have to enter this specific shop? And why oh why did she have to enter it with the guy that she cheated Athrun with?

And Meyrin saw Athrun.

It felt like an old movie, where the things that they were holding would drop and the mouths would gape in surprise. In this scenario, Meyrin dropped her shopping bags along with her jaw. The guy that Athrun punched was also shocked as well.

"Come on." Athrun pulled Cagalli's hand and dragged her to the exit of the store.

"Wait, my ice cream!" Athrun was too strong for her to even retaliate. She wasn't even finished with her chocolate ice cream.

"Don't worry, we can drive through Quackdonalds later and you can order as much chocolate ice cream as you wish." Athrun enlightened her; he knew how much she was craving for ice cream a while ago.

"But…" She couldn't say anything that would stop Athrun for they were already outside and on their way back to the café parking lot, where Athrun's car was.

"Hey Athrun wait!" Meyrin, the ex-girlfriend, appeared to chase after the two of them. But Athrun didn't bother stopping and walked briskly.

Cagalli was in a state of shock. She didn't know what to do so she just let Athrun lead the way.

"Athrun! Stop for a moment!" Just as they were near Athrun's car, Meyrin ran past them and put them into a halt.

"What is it now?" Athrun didn't really want to talk to her.

"Are you dating her?" She was panting, but it didn't stop her from giving Cagalli a bitchy glare.

"Why does it matter to you if I am?" It was Cagalli's first time to hear Athrun speak in such an indifferent tone.

"How did you get over me that quickly? I said I was sorry didn't I? I thought you loved me!" Meyrin didn't like it when she was being replaced easily. Obviously, she wasn't taking this scene, Athrun with Cagalli, lightly.

"I thought so as well. Now if you'll excuse us." Athrun pulled Cagalli along with him, walking past Meyrin. Athrun clicked the keys to her car open and commanded Cagalli to go inside. With the tense atmosphere going on, she didn't have any choice but to comply with Athrun.

"Why are you making this so hard for me?" The Meyrin girl was crying, Cagalli felt like she was seeing one of those corny romantic movies. She was tapping Athrun's window, begging him to open it.

Athrun was annoyed that he couldn't run the car with Meyrin all over it. She wouldn't leave that easily. He opened his window and yelled. "Why are you making this so hard for me?"

Meyrin was taken aback by what he said. It seemed that Athrun didn't really want to get back with her. "Athrun please…" She begged. "You and I are meant to be together forever… I swear I don't love him… I swear he's just a friend."

"Please move." He said in a gentler voice, but was still cold.

Meyrin took a step back and watched as Athrun's car took a turn down the road.

It seemed like he still didn't want to get back with her.

-o0o-

Lalala. End of story. Kidding. :)) How many chapters do you think I should make for this story?

If there are errors, it's probably because I'm in a hurry to finish this. My older brother's nagging me with his gesture of sitting beside me and waiting like a little kid. He wants to use the computer. So bye for now.

I promise I will be updating _**Meyrin's Attempt**_ next. I'm just having too much fun with _**It Just Happened**_.

Additional Notes:

[1] Reading manga is also my favorite hobby! :) Kaichou wa Maid-sama, Faster Than a Kiss and New Prince of Tennis are the mangas that I patiently wait for updates. Hihihi. I know it's not really relevant to say this stuff, just wanted to share. Haha. Wala lang.

[2] I couldn't find a word to fit the description of the way Cagalli was eating her ice cream, so I invented a word. Sorry if it's a really lame word. :P


	12. Double P

A/N: Sorry for the late update! School has been becoming stressful lately. Papers, reports, tests and readings are piling up to form a big mountain.

For those who didn't see the link of the second video, I'll just give you the site where I found it, since I'm too lazy to close Microsoft Word to access the internet. Hihi. Go to and search for the "Gundam Seed" manga. In the forum part, click "their love stories", the 10th thread/reply is where you'll find the link for the AsuCaga videos. Enjoy watching!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny. If I did, I swear I'll make a lovey dovey series centered on the AsuCaga relationship ONLY.

Chapter 12: Double P

-o0o-

Cagalli squirmed yet again in her seat. The situation was really sudden. She wasn't really fond of unnerving situations like those, especially when she was also in the picture. It was already awkward enough that both of them were talking about Athrun's ex-girlfriend when she was just right across them. But with his ex-girlfriend desperately chasing after Athrun made it all the more uncomfortable for her.

She didn't like it when his ex-girlfriend gave her such a callous stare. It made her feel that Athrun's ex-girlfriend was trying to kill her in her mind. What ever would be her reaction if she found out that Athrun slept with Cagalli? What ever would be her reaction if she found out that Athrun got Cagalli pregnant all the more?

Glancing at Athrun, she wondered what was running through his head after the encounter a while ago. His face didn't seem to have any slight hints of exasperation or melancholy. He actually appeared to be perfectly okay. Maybe Athrun really didn't want anything more to do with that Meyrin girl? After all, he said that he didn't feel any grief when he saw her.

Not until she looked at his hand at the steering wheel, the sex machine was gripping it so tightly! Cagalli thought that with any more clenching, the steering wheel would break into two. So he was annoyed at the scene a while ago, his face just wasn't showing it. When his car halted to the red glow of the stoplight, Cagalli swore that she saw Athrun's eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

She was at a loss of words. Athrun always knew what to say to her if ever she wasn't feeling good. She badly wanted to say something that would help lighten up the situation. What would his friends probably say to him at a time like this? She thought of words that she could possibly say to him.

"Hey…" That was the only word that she could muster. But at least she tried.

"Yeah?" He finally looked at her; the tone of his was placid. She was surprised. At first, she thought he was going to shout at her as well or maybe even talk to her in a cold voice like he did with his ex-girlfriend.

"Uhm..." Frankly, she wasn't expecting him to give her a decent reply. She was unable to prepare a response to give to him so she just uttered the first thought that came into her head. "Where are we headed to?"

"Drive Thru." He answered her while making a turn.

"Huh?" They were going to drive through where?

"To Quackdonalds of course." He reminded her. "We left so abruptly that you were unable to finish your chocolate ice cream remember?"

"Right…" She was getting confused with what was running through Athrun's head. Usually an angry person would forget that they actually said that.

"Do you know what really ticks me off?" Athrun's sudden question surprised Cagalli.

"No." She answered. She really didn't know what things make him pissed and she wanted to know.

"When people's actions are contradictory to what they say." He said to her, but she really didn't have a clue on what he was talking about.

Cagalli wasn't really following him. That Meyrin girl looked so honest in wanting him back, chasing after them while crying her heart out. "What do you mean by that?"

"She said that she loves me right?"

"Yeah. She said that the two of you were meant to be together." Cagalli quoted what Athrun's ex-girlfriend said to him, hoping to understand what he was trying to say.

"She keeps on saying that, but I always see her with _that_ _guy_." He emphasized the last two words of his sentence, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"That guy?"

"The guy with her." He answered bitterly. The thought of seeing Meyrin with that guy really pisses the hell out of him. How dare she claim that she loved him when she was always with that guy? This wasn't the second time that Athrun saw the two of them together since their breakup.

"Oh…" Cagalli really didn't notice that his ex-girlfriend had a companion. But she looked like she was waiting for someone when she exited the store across them.

"That's why it's hard to believe anything that she says now." Athrun continued. "Not to mention that this isn't the first time that she did this to me."

"That's true." Cagalli agreed with him. She could relate with Athrun. Truly, a person whose actions are opposing what they say is truly infuriating. She remembered Shinn. When Shinn was seeing another girl behind her back, he frequently assured her that he would always love her. It was really annoying now that she thought of it.

"Well anyway, let's just forget about what happened." Athrun told her. "I don't want to think about that anymore."

The awkward situation faded when they finally got to Quackdonalds. Much to Cagalli's delight, Athrun bought her a big cup of chocolate ice cream, with sprinkles.

"Thanks Athrun." She squealed when she got hold of the ice cream cup.

"Welcome princess." He thought that Cagalli would snap at him when he said that. But Cagalli just let it go since he was in a bad mood a while ago and was so generous. "Shall I take you home?" He asked her. Good thing it was Cagalli that was here with him, not Dearka or Yzak. Being the 'real men' that they were, they would just ask Athrun to go on drinking sessions with them.

"Kira's not home yet." Cagalli glanced at her phone. There were no missed calls or messages from Kira. Kira's mind seemed to be pre-occupied with only Lacus at the moment. Why wouldn't his mind be? After all, they haven't seen each other for a week. Maybe they were spending some quality time at a restaurant feeding each other.

"I'll take that as a no." He turned away from the route headed to Cagalli's house.

"Where are you going?" Cagalli asked him while eating the ice cream that he bought for her. "I just said 'Kira's not home yet' not 'let's go somewhere else'!"

"You'll be bored when I take you home." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What makes you say that?" She asked him.

"During the first time we met, you said that you always get bored when you're home alone."

Cagalli decided to remain silent. How the hell does this ridiculously handsome sex machine get to remember so much of the things that she told him? He has got to have some tape recorder hidden beneath his clothes.

"It's almost two o clock in the afternoon." Athrun glanced at the clock of his car. "What do you say we do something fun?"

"Fun?" Cagalli gulped nervously. By fun, could he actually be taking her back to his flat again? His fun would be…

"Yeah. Something fun. I'm getting quite bored these days." He added, making Cagalli all the more nervous.

Bored? She knew it. Because Athrun broke up with his girlfriend, he hasn't gotten laid for the past few days!

"I don't think so you pervert!" Cagalli yelled, surprising the hell out of Athrun. He wondered what was with her sudden outburst.

"You think watching movies isn't fun?" He sighed disappointedly. Or maybe Cagalli really didn't have a dislike for movies; it was just that she didn't want to watch movies with him. After all, she called him a 'sex machine'.

"Oh that…" Cagalli's voice trailed off. "By fun, did you mean watching movies?"

"Of course." Athrun took a good look at Cagalli's reddened face. It didn't take him another second to realize what Cagalli was so flustered about.

If the windows of Athrun's car were open, his laughter could surely be heard by everyone on the street. Cagalli was really funny. She appeared to be so clueless that it was so cute and hilarious at the same time. Athrun should really take back what he said earlier, he wasn't bored these past few days. He was laughing so hard that he had to park his car for a moment because he couldn't concentrate on driving. A few minutes ago he was gripping on his steering wheel in anger, now he was pounding it because of so much mirth.

"Okay… I know that it's really funny…" Cagalli started to say to him. "But stop laughing already!" It was really embarrassing that she even though of the word 'fun' that way. But what made it so much more mortifying was that Athrun was laughing at her for it! If they had more space inside the car, then Athrun would have probably been rolling on the floor.

"Sorry, sorry." He wiped the tears that formed on the corner of his eyes from so much hysterical laughter. "You're the pervert here! Not me! I'll call you perverted princess from now on!" He teased her all the more.

"Don't you dare call me by that name!" Cagalli warned him. She rather have him call her a 'princess' as much as he wanted just as long as he didn't have to add the word 'pervert' before it.

"Do you really want to have _fun_ with me that badly, perverted princess?" His pet name for her slid out of his tongue ever so smoothly.

"You sex machine!" She retorted and crossed her arms. That was the only thing that she could say at the moment. Looking at the window was her final resort; she didn't want to be teased any longer.

"Perverted princess." He gave her another smirk before getting his hands on the steering wheel to drive.

"I changed my mind! Take me home already!" She scowled.

"No can do perverted princess. We're far from your house now." He said to her as he continued to drive to the movie house.

-o0o-

Athrun thought that it was very unlikely for a girl to be fond of watching action or horror movies. Then again he was proved wrong. When he and Cagalli got to the movie house, he was supposed to suggest the heart-warming family movie that was advertised in the television yesterday, thinking that she like to watch that. Boy he was wrong; she excitedly pointed to a poster of a horror movie and pulled him to buy their tickets already.

Inside the theater, Athrun thought that Cagalli would be squealing in fear. He was wrong for the second time. Whenever there was a scene that would make all the viewers in the theater scream in shock or in trepidation, he always glanced at Cagalli who always seemed to be unaffected by it. Instead, she was amazed with all the gory things that the ghost was doing to the humans in the movie. What a sadist. [1]

He was getting annoyed at the fact that he was sometimes taken aback by some of the scenes, while Cagalli didn't. It wasn't that he was scared; it was just that the scenes were so unexpected. Who wouldn't get surprised if the ghost was miles away from you one second, then the lights would mysteriously turn off and when the lights get back on, the ghost was already in the proximity of your face? Damn this 3D movie.

"That was a good movie!" Cagalli looked at him to see if he also thought the same, but it looked like he felt the opposite.

"I guess it was." He sighed. Lesson learned, never watch a horror movie in 3D. The face of the ghost seemed so uglier when it was really up close. Not to mention that it really shocked the wits out of him.

"Let's watch another 3D movie like this another time!" She suggested.

"No thank you." He'd rather watch some lame love story than another 3D horror movie.

"Why not?"

"I didn't appreciate the movie that much." He shrugged.

"I thought that the quality of the movie was great! Didn't you think so too?"

"No."

"Hmm…" Cagalli tried to see if she could tease him. "Were you scared of the movie?" Cagalli asked him in a knowing tone.

"No." He said to her. He really wasn't.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really?"

"Are you sure?" It was her turn to tease him. After all, she noticed that he gasped at some scenes.

"Yes I am."

"You looked so scared a while ago!" She tried to rub it in. "I never knew that you'd actually be scared of a horror movie."

"Is the perverted princess trying to tease me now?" He raised his eyebrow at her.

"Shut up." She grunted. And she thought she was finally getting the upper hand.

-o0o-

"Here we are." Athrun announced. He stopped his car in front of Cagalli's house. He went out and planned to open Cagalli's door but she went ahead and opened the door for herself.

"Kira's here." Kira's car was parked in their driveway so it meant that he was back already. She wondered why he was back so soon. She thought that he would spend the whole day with Lacus.

"Shall I accompany you inside?" Athrun suggested.

"No need." She said to him. Kira might not like the idea of Mister Number One entering their house. It might ruin his bad mood.

"Okay then." He gave him a pat on his shoulder. "See you on Monday."

"Monday?" She repeated what he just said.

"Yes Monday." He smiled back at her.

"You're going to be visiting my pastry shop again?" She sighed. The mere sight of him in the pastry shop makes all the employees squeal. They call him an 'eye candy'. What the hell was that? But then again she has another regular customer now. "Fine. Do whatever you want."

"I'll be taking you to and from work now remember?" He reminded her. Oh right. He won the coin toss against Kira. He got tails.

"But wouldn't that bother you?" Cagalli worriedly asked him. She knew that Athrun was a busy man, being the executive and all. Driving her to work and taking her home every day would surely cause him inconvenience. "I can handle going to and from work by train."

"I won't let you do that!" He shook his head. "And don't worry, it wouldn't bother me at all." He assured her.

Cagalli was still unsure whether she would agree to his offer.

"I swear, it doesn't bother me at all." Athrun raised his hands in a way that it looked like he was a soldier pledging.

"Okay then…" She might as well agree. It was free anyway.

"It's settled then. I'll pick you up at 7." He opened the door to the driver's seat.

"Okay thanks." She thanked him. That was the least she could say to the man that would drive her every day.

"Anything for my 'double p'." He winked at her.

"Double p?"

"Perverted princess." He hurriedly went inside his car, knowing that Cagalli may whack him for saying that again.

"Argh!" She fumed when Athrun said that word again. There were two words that she really didn't want people to call her. Pervert and princess. In one day, this ridiculously handsome sex machine juxtaposed the two words.

Athrun laughed at the fuming Cagalli. He lowered his window and bid her another goodbye. "Farewell my perverted princess." With that, he drove along his way.

Cagalli decided to give it a rest and went inside their house. She wanted to ask Kira why he was back so soon anyway. To her surprise it wasn't just Kira that was back home, Lacus was also there.

"Cagalli!" Lacus stood up and gave her a big hug. Cagalli couldn't deny that she missed Lacus, even though she was just gone for a week.

"Welcome back Lacus!" She also gave her friend a big hug.

Lacus let go of their hug and went back to the table. Grabbing the paper bag that was on the table, she then handed it to Cagalli. "I bought you some chocolates!"

Cagalli was thrilled that she had her chocolate supply for the week. "Thank you so much Lacus!" She threw herself at Lacus.

"I was supposed to buy you this cute green dress, but then again, you don't wear dresses." She laughed.

"Thank you for buying chocolates instead!" She beamed and put her chocolates in the refrigerator. "Kira, I swear, if my chocolates get missing, you're the only culprit." She warned Kira. He always had the habit of taking something out of the refrigerator even though he knew it was Cagalli's.

"Aren't I your brother?" Kira gave Cagalli a childish pout. "You should also give me some of those you know."

"Nah. No way." She shrugged the thought of sharing her chocolates. She would gladly share anything with Kira, just not her chocolates or even chocolate ice creams for that matter.

"How mean!" Kira pretended to be hurt and crossed his arms.

"Anyway," Cagalli ignored Kira's childish acts. "Why are you two here? Shouldn't you two be out and being all lovey dovey for all the days that Lacus was gone?"

"We waited for you to come home of course." Lacus smiled at her.

"Waited for me? Why is that?" She asked the two of them.

Kira cleared his throat and began to ask. "Speaking of waiting, where were you anyway?"

"Me and Athrun went to watch a movie." She said as if it was a normal thing for her to do and as if Kira was in good terms with Athrun.

"WHAT?" Kira exclaimed. "You mean to tell me you made us wait because you were spending some time with that Mister Number One?"

"No. I was kidding."

Kira sighed in relief. "And I thought you were-"

"Duh Kira. We watched a movie! It was just a movie! And besides, I thought you guys wouldn't be back until later!" Kira can be so over reactive at times.

"The Athrun you're talking about is your new boyfriend right?" Lacus asked her. Looks like Kira didn't tell her yet.

"Lacus," Kira called out to her. "This is the reason why I suggested that we wait for Cagalli to come home."

"Why is that?" Lacus looked at the both of them curiously.

"We have something to tell you! Rather, Cagalli has something to tell you." Kira nudged Cagalli's shoulder.

"Oh… Right." Cagalli laughed nervously. "You see Lacus, Shinn cheated on me…"

"He did?" Lacus was shocked. She didn't know that Shinn cheated on her, so that was why Cagalli broke up with him.

"Actually, the bastard was cheating on my sister for a long time." Kira gritted his teeth. The thought of Shinn doing that to his beloved sister made his blood boil.

"I thought I was the one that was supposed to do the telling Kira?" Cagalli raised her eyebrow on him.

"Fine." He muttered in embarrassment. "Okay continue."

"And Athrun isn't really my boyfriend."

"He isn't?" Lacus gasped. If Athrun wasn't her boyfriend, then why were they acting like a couple back in the restaurant? "Then what was he?"

"I met him at a bar during the night that I was so dejected about what happened with Shinn… It turns out that he was also heartbroken at that time…" She took a deep breath and continued. "So-"

"Aww… Mister Number One was down in the dumps." Kira pretended to sympathize with Athrun although he really wasn't feeling bad for him.

"Shut up Kira." Cagalli snapped at him. She wouldn't be able to tell Lacus if Kira kept cutting her off. "Maybe you should tell Lacus?"

"I won't cut in again I promise." Kira grinned at her. "You tell her."

"So we were talking and talking and then…" Cagalli's voice trailed off. She didn't know how to tell Lacus what happened next.

But she didn't need to, Lacus continued for her. "So something happened between you two?"

"Yes exactly…" Cagalli nodded.

"And you're pregnant?" Lacus looked at her to confirm if she was right.

"HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?" Both Cagalli and Kira acted like real twins now, saying stuff in unison.

"I kind of had a hunch that you were." Lacus giggled. "You were acting strange that week and there I saw a pregnancy kit receipt from the drugstore on the stairs."

"I see…" Cagalli inwardly blamed Miriallia for making that receipt fly about the house.

"Congratulations to you Cagalli!" Lacus shook her hands. "You're climbing the stairs of adulthood!" She then turned to Kira. "Maybe we should climb the stairs to adulthood as well don't you think?"

Cagalli and Lacus both laughed when the two of them saw Kira's face that was bright as a tomato.

"_Lacus is also a double p as well." _Cagalli thought to herself. [2]

-o0o-

My next update will be unforeseeable as I just squeezed writing chapter 12 in my stressful sched. Hopefully, my update will be next week. See you guys then.

Additional Notes:

[1] Hello Ronnababes! I'm so inspired by you while writing this scene. :

[2] Thank you to nareiya for helping me on this part! :D


	13. Guess Who?

A/N: An update is here! Were you all able to watch the second video of AsuCaga? I hope all you saw 'Reason' and 'Akatsuki no Kuruma'! Both were such wonderful videos.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 13: Guess Who?

-o0o-

"Guess who?" A pair of hands covered Miriallia's eyes, completely stopping her from continuing her chat with Cagalli.

"Don't you 'guess who' me Shiho Hahnenfuss!" The auburn-haired girl immediately recognized who it was. Miriallia removed the pair of hands that covered her eyes and stood up to give her a tight hug. It was a very long time since she last saw Shiho and she felt really excited in seeing her old friend again.

"How'd you guess that it was me anyway?" Shiho returned the hug that her friend gave her, a much tighter one.

"You always pulled that trick on me every chance you get back in college." Miriallia stuck her tongue out. "I'm not falling for that ever again."

"Is my 'guess who' really that overused?" Shiho laughed as she sat with Miriallia and Cagalli.

"It is Shiho." Cagalli nodded. "And besides, your voice is also a dead giveaway."

"Why are you here in Orb anyway?" Miriallia jokingly asked her. "It's rare to see you visit your hometown."

"Am I not allowed to visit Orb once in a while?" Shiho pretended to act really offended by Miriallia's words. "If you guys really want to be away from me that badly, then I guess I'll go then. Sorry for bothering the two of you while you two are so engrossed in chatting with each other." She stood and walked away.

"Bye Shiho." Miriallia and Cagalli both waved at the brown-haired girl. Shiho hasn't changed a bit.

"You guys!" Shiho turned back to them, forgetting the emotional act that she was trying to pull. "You were supposed to stop me from leaving! You should have said 'Of course you're not a bother to us Shiho old friend, in fact we really missed you!' not 'Bye Shiho'!" She exclaimed.

"Well, you said you were leaving." Cagalli laughed. "So we thought that it was best that we let you go."

"But still!" Shiho pouted, feeling a tad disappointed.

"Fine." Miriallia pulled Shiho forcefully back to her seat. "Aww… Don't leave Shiho old friend! Cagalli and I were officially missing you! In fact we'd love to chat with you the whole Sunday afternoon!"

"That was a better response." Shiho grinned at the both of them. "Did you really miss me that much?"

"Nope!" Cagalli and Miriallia both answered her straight-away. Cagalli and Miriallia winked at each other knowingly. They both loved pulling Shiho's leg. It was a given fact that she easily believed their jokes.

"You two are really good at lying. You say that you don't miss me but after you find out that I came back to Orb, you didn't spare a moment and planned on seeing me the day after." She looked at Cagalli knowingly. It was only yesterday that she saw Cagalli at the café with her brother and his best friend. By evening, Shiho already received a call from Cagalli saying that Miriallia was very delighted that she was visiting Orb and wanted to hang out the next day.

"No I was just excited to see what you got for us." Miriallia gave Shiho a nudge on her shoulder.

"I didn't get you guys anything." Shiho declared to the girls with her.

"Nothing?" Miriallia gasped. "Let's go Cagalli. We're wasting our time here." Miriallia stood up, seconds later, Cagalli stood up as well.

"You're right Miriallia." Cagalli agreed with her and took one last sip of her drink. "Let's go back to the pastry shop. They might need our help there."

"Wait! I was just kidding!" Shiho stopped the both of them from leaving her. "I got both of you something from Victoria!" [1]

"You did!" Miriallia's eyes widened in surprise and she and Cagalli both sat back down. "That's so nice of you Shiho."

"I got you two perfumes! Victoria's Secret perfumes!" [2] She handed Miriallia and Cagalli a bottle each. "Hope you appreciate it!"

"Aww… This is so sweet of you Shiho." Cagalli thanked her friend. Shiho even remembered her favorite scent, Sweet Pea, [3] while Miriallia on the other hand also got her favorite scent, Cherry Blossoms. [4]

"You really didn't have to Shiho." Miriallia said to her, forgetting the joke that she and Cagalli were doing. 

"Okay then." Shiho got a hold of Miriallia's bottle. "I'll take it back then."

"No it's okay!" Miriallia hid the perfume bottle out of Shiho's reach. "Since you went through all the effort of getting it for us, I'll gratefully accept it!"

"Don't think that we didn't get something for you!" Cagalli brought out a small pouch from her bag and handed it to her. Shiho carefully opened the pouch and revealed a pair of sunglasses.

"Shades!" She squealed in glee. Even though Shiho was like Cagalli, a girl that doesn't like pink and girly stuff, she was certainly a sucker for shades. "Thanks you guys!" She gave both of them a light hug.

Miriallia leaned closer to her friend. "Just so you know Shiho, I was the one that picked that gift for you. Cagalli was busy spending some quality time with some hot guy yesterday. She just suggested that she be the one to give it to you so she'd have some contribution."

"Hey!" Cagalli stopped Miriallia from saying anything more. "I was the one that told you to get her a gift!"

"Whatever." Shiho shook her head in disappointed. "Cags, you're taking all the credit here…"

Then a fit of laughter could be heard coming from their table. Cagalli and Miriallia didn't deny that they missed their days back in college when the three of them were chatting casually all the time. When the three of them graduated, Shiho accepted an offer to work in Victoria. It was an opportunity of a lifetime for her and she couldn't let a chance like that pass by so she had to leave the life that she had here in Orb. But she never failed to show up once in a while to catch up with her two best friends.

"I really missed you guys." Shiho finally said when she recovered from laughing.

"We missed you too!" Miriallia gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"It's unfair that you two get to spent most of your time together." Shiho pouted. If ever she was asked, her second choice would be working together with Cagalli and Miriallia at their pastry shop. But their pastry shop wouldn't really need a military analyst.

"I doubt that Cagalli would be spending most of her time with me now." Miriallia gave Cagalli a knowing look. _"Oh right."_ She thought to herself, she hasn't told Shiho about what happened to her relationship with Shinn.

"Why is that?" Shiho eyed Cagalli. She was curious to know about what was happening to her friends' lives.

"Uhm… Err… Because… That's because…" Suddenly the attention was on Cagalli, she frankly didn't like being in it. No matter how many times she already told people that she was pregnant, she still hasn't got used to it and stuttered nervously every time.

"Come on Cagalli! Spill it!" Shiho urged her to continue what she was saying.

"Why are you still hesitating?" Miriallia raised her eyebrow at her. "Tell her about what happened to you and Shinn!"

"Oh yeah what happened between you and Shinn?" Shiho asked her. "The last time I checked, you two are still the most lovey-dovey couple that I know! Are you two getting it on to the next level?"

"Err… Not quite." Cagalli's answer made Shiho a bit more probing.

"Quit gagging and start spilling!" Shiho threatened her. She was too much curious to even hide it.

"Fine. We broke up two weeks ago." Cagalli breathed heavily. Calling Shinn Asuka, once her only one, her ex-boyfriend would take some time to getting used to. After all, she was with Shinn for five years. It would be their sixth year together next month, if only they didn't part ways.

"Oh I see…" Shiho didn't know what to say to her. The wound from breaking up with Shinn might still be fresh. "I'm sorry to hear that Cagalli."

"What are you saying sorry for?" Cagalli laughed it off. It really wasn't worth crying for anyway.

"You see, Shinn was cheating on her even though the two of them were still together!" Miriallia added.

Shiho's sympathy turned into wrath. How dare that crybaby cheat on her best friend? "He did?"

"He did!" Miriallia nodded. "And he replaced her with some girl that has the same color of Cagalli's hair!"

"That cheating simpleton!" Shiho exclaimed. "Why I ought to give him a piece of my mind and my fist!"

"Why are you getting so heated up?" Cagalli tried to calm her friend before it got out of hand. She gave Miriallia a glare, signaling her to stop adding crap about Shinn. When something dreadful happens to her friends, Shiho can't help but also feel it for them. She sometimes had much more emotion in her than Cagalli or Miriallia.

"Are you just going to let her get away with that Cagalli?" Shiho asked her in disbelief.

"Well… I don't really care anymore." Cagalli muttered. Shinn could do whatever he wanted. It was true that she got really indignant when she found out that he was seeing another girl behind her back. Albeit she was awfully pissed and wanted to beat him to pulp, she really didn't want to have anything to do with Shinn. Heck she didn't even want to see his face anymore.

"You know why Cagalli doesn't care about him anymore?" Miriallia butt in. Shiho still had no idea that Cagalli was now pregnant.

"No. I don't know why Cagalli doesn't care about him anymore!" Shiho repeated what Miriallia said and turned back to Cagalli. "Why don't you care about him anymore Cagalli?"

"That's because… There's a bigger issue I'm facing right now and it doesn't involve that Shinn." Cagalli answered her.

"And what might that issue be?" Shiho was more intrigued than ever before.

"I'm p-" Cagalli tried but she couldn't say the word out loud.

"You can do it Cagalli!" Miriallia cheered on for her. She wanted Cagalli to tell it to Shiho herself.

"You're p?" Shiho raised her eyebrow, not getting what Cagalli was trying to say. "P as in pervert?"

"Of course not!" She yelped, remembering what Athrun told her the day before. Cagalli leaned closer to Shiho; she didn't want anyone else to here. The men in the other table were already giving them weird glances. "I'm pregnant."

"What? YOU'RE PREGNANT?" Shiho shrieked. Cagalli knew it was going to be like this. Soon enough all the people inside the restaurant were staring at them, even the waitresses stopped at what they were doing to look at them. She should have warned Shiho to keep her outburst to herself.

"Shh!" Both Cagalli and Miriallia put a finger on their mouth to shush their friend.

Shiho realized how embarrassing it was to have a sudden outburst so she lowered the tome of her voice. "But how can you not possibly give a damn about Shinn now that he's going to be the father of your baby? Did you break up with him because he didn't want to be responsible for your baby?" She seemed to be fuming again.

"Shinn's not really the father of this baby." Cagalli put her palm on her stomach.

"What? You mean to tell me that it's someone else?" Shiho's voice was getting louder by the second so Miriallia had no choice but to cover her mouth with her palms.

"Shiho, calm down okay." Cagalli held both of Shiho's shoulders. "Relax. Inhale. Exhale."

Shiho was getting astounded as every minute went by so she followed what Cagalli told her and took a few deep breaths.

"Have you calmed down yet?" Miriallia asked Shiho.

"I guess so…" Shiho replied, taking in all the things that Cagalli just said to her. "But how?" She stuttered. "Were you also cheating on Shinn?"

"No of course not!" Cagalli flailed her arms around. Shinn was a cheating bastard and she begged to differ. "I met Athrun the same night Shinn dumped me."

"Athrun?"

"Athrun is Cagalli's new boyfriend!" Miriallia decided to answer for Cagalli. "He was the one with Cagalli yesterday!"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Cagalli refuted but didn't try to deny the fact that they spent the whole afternoon together.

"But you told Kira that he was, now didn't you?"

"The one that was with you? Could it be that blue-haired eye candy? The one that your brother had an argument with?" Shiho asked her. Even Shiho thought that Athrun was an eye candy.

"Well… yeah…" Cagalli scratched her head. "And he's not really Kira's best friend. It was just awkward to introduce him while my brother was still there. He doesn't really like Athrun that much."

"Wow." Shiho couldn't believe that Cagalli got over her long-time boyfriend Shinn and ended up getting impregnated by a new guy. "You replaced Shinn that easily?"

"If you ask me, the sex part was just an accident. Believe me we were just talking, then it happened." Cagalli sighed.

"Oh please…" Miriallia rolled her eyes. "Don't believe her Shiho! She definitely told Athrun to rip her underwear off!"

"Cagalli!" Shiho looked at her friend incredulously. And she thought Cagalli was her most innocent friend ever. "I didn't know that you could be that aggressive!"

"Miriallia's just exaggerating you know!" She gave Miriallia a light punch on the shoulder. "I didn't tell him to rip my underwear off! I just told him to remove my dress!" Cagalli put her hands on her mouth when she noticed that they men that were seated beside them were exchanging creepy glances with each other. This was getting so mortifying. Maybe they should move to another restaurant. Cagalli wanted to be spared from the looks that the men from the other table gave them.

"It's the same thing! Naturally your underwear would come after that!" Shiho laughed at her now blushing friend.

"It did not!" Cagalli tried to deny it. "Well it did, after a while…"

"Aha!" Shiho gasped. "See you admitted it!"

"Whatever." She decided shrug it off. She had no chance when Shiho and Miriallia teamed up on her, especially when the two of them were both so perverted.

"So how was he?" Shiho asked her.

"How was he what?" Cagalli repeated her question.

"Yeah Cagalli, I never got to ask you that question myself." Miriallia nodded along with Shiho. "How was he?"

"I don't get what you two are saying…" Cagalli looked clueless in front of Miriallia and Shiho.

"Don't act so innocent Cagalli!" Miriallia stared at her accusingly. "How was he in bed?"

"In what?" Cagalli was taken aback by the question. How can they ask this kind of stuff in a straightforward manner? And to think that these two were girls. She figured that these two won't let her go without answering the question. "Why the hell do you want to know anyway?"

"Just curious." Miriallia and Shiho looked at each other and winked knowingly.

"I'm not answering that." Cagalli sipped on her juice to avoid answering the question.

"Come on Cagalli!" Shiho pleaded.

"Can't you enlighten us a bit?" Miriallia added.

"No."

"Fine. But can you please just answer us 'Yes' or 'No'?" Shiho suggested. "If 'yes' he's good, if 'no', then he's lousy."

"Is that in relation to the question you asked me earlier?"

Both of the girls nodded.

"Yes." Cagalli blushed at that single word. She didn't deny that she felt like a sex god was making love to her, writhing at the memory of his gentle hands and warm mouth all over her body that fateful night.

"Really?" Miriallia squealed. "I knew he looked like a person that would be an expert in bed."

"So?" Shiho was still curious. "Did he take you from the be-"

"Okay." Cagalli cut her off. She did not want to be in the limelight anymore, especially when this was going to be there topic. "Enough about me, what about you Shiho? What happened to you and Heine?"

"Oh, we broke up a long time ago?" Shiho answered to Cagalli's relief. At last they changed the subject.

"Really? Then your single now?" Miriallia asked her.

"Yep. But I had two more boyfriends after him before landing into singlehood again. Oh wait was it three? No wait maybe it was four?" Shiho scratched her head to remember.

Miriallia and Cagalli both let out a laugh. It was typical of Shiho to date guys and to dump them when she was getting bored of them. At first, Cagalli and Miriallia thought that she was just playing with them, but the truth is, Shiho really tried to get into a serious relationship with them. It was just that the guys were proving to be a wrong match for her, so she dumped them the moment that she realizes that they aren't Mr. Right.

"What about you Miriallia?" Shiho turned to her auburn-haired friend. "Are you finally dating guys?"

"Nope." Miriallia cheerfully answered. "I still can't find a guy that suits my taste!"

"She's too picky!" Cagalli said to Shiho.

"Maybe you like girls." Shiho suggested which sent the three of them giggling. This time, they didn't care whether the men on the other table were looking at them. Heck they can look all they want.

-o0o-

An inquisitive scrutiny.

An uncaring façade, but a nerve-wrecking sensation underneath.

An impatient pregnant woman.

"Kira will you stop that already? We're all going to be late for work." Cagalli growled at her brother. Here comes Kira's overprotective side again, and he chose to be _that_ overprotective when they were all running late.

"I'm almost done Cagalli, I'm just checking if his side mirrors are placed correctly." Kira inspected the side mirrors thoroughly, though there was really nothing to worry about. He was just so anxious about Mister Number One taking his sister to and from work every day so he decided to take it out on Athrun's high class car, inspecting every aspect of it to make sure that his sister would be safe.

"For the love of…" Athrun was also losing his patience. He found it really bizarre that someone would actually doubt his preference in cars. "That's a newly bought S class car; I promise you that Cagalli won't even feel the humps on the road. So can we please leave now?"

"Is your GPS accurate?" Kira inquired.

"I don't really need that to find my way to Cagalli's workplace." Athrun smugly answered him.

"What about your seatbelts? Won't it hurt Cagalli and the baby?"

"Of course not."

"Are your seats leather and comfortable?"

"Yes they are."

"Your air conditioner is fully functioning right?"

"Yes."

"How am I sure that you're not a reckless driver?" Kira couldn't help but be so overprotective.

"Kira, I rode his car a dozen of times already, and I'm still in one piece. Well actually I came back with another piece." She caressed her stomach and tried to joke with Kira but he didn't take it so lightly. "Stop being so terrified. Can we please leave now?"

"Fine." Kira cleared his throat in defeat; another minute more and her sister would go ballistic on him. "Be careful okay?"

"I will."

"Call me if something goes wrong."

"I will."

"And if his speed limit-"

"Kira!" Cagalli impeded him for whatever he was about to say. They were never going to get to work if Kira keeps on yapping nonsensical things.

"Okay, I'll stop now." Kira didn't want to keep her sister from her work any longer. "Bye Cagalli. I'll see you later."

"Bye Kira." Cagalli gave her brother a light hug before entering the car.

"Hey you Athrun Zala of ZAFT!" Kira called out to Athrun that was about to enter the car."

"Yes?"

"Keep my sister safe okay?"

"Of course." He assured Kira. "I'll take care of double p."

"Double what?"

"Nothing." Athrun snorted to himself and went inside his car.

Kira didn't have any chance to ask about what Athrun had just said because Athrun started the car as soon as he got inside and they already took off.

"What a brother complex he has." Athrun sighed when Cagalli's house was out of sight. He took a turn out of Cagalli's village.

"He's been like that even when we were kids." She sighed along with Athrun and looked out the window.

"I wonder if I'll also be like that if I had a younger sister." Athrun mused to himself.

"What are you talking about? I'm not his younger sister!" She turned away from the window to give Athrun a glare. Kira was overprotective alright, but still she was the older twin. She was so sure about that.

"You're the older one? Oh really now?" Athrun doubted her. If she was the older sister, then why was her brother treating her like she was the younger one?

"I am the older one!" Cagalli retorted. "Just agree with it, will you?"

"Whatever you say princess." He decided to let her win and drove to Cagalli's workplace.

-o0o-

"Oh my Cagalli! You're so lucky to have him drive you to work today!" Shirley nudged her boss. She got to see the good-looking guy again.

"Is something going on between you two?" Kallen inquired. The good-looking guy was frequenting their pastry shop just to see her boss. Something was really up and she wanted to know what it was.

And unfortunately, Cagalli had to explain to her employees what was happening between her and Athrun. She couldn't keep lying about it to anyone any longer. Besides, all the people that were close to Cagalli already knew her "secret" so it was acceptable to tell everyone else. So she took a deep breath and told everyone what happened two weeks ago.

It was expected that there were gasps and shrieks of horror at first. Surprised because Cagalli's long time boyfriend cheated on her, so that explained why Shinn wasn't dropping by the pastry shop any longer. They were also startled at the fact that their boss was pregnant. But after a while of astonishment, her employees regained their composure and congratulated her for having slept with such an eye-catching guy. The waitresses even called dibs to be the godparent of the baby.

"Wait a second." Miriallia cut in. "So you're not going to take the train anymore?"

"I guess so." Cagalli felt sorry for forgetting to tell her best friend yesterday and also for leaving her friend to go home, alone."

"Well I guess it can't be helped." Miriallia was a bit sad that she and Cagalli won't be going home together any longer.

"You can totally ride with us!" Cagalli suggested. "We'll pass by your street on the way home anyway!"

"I think it'll be okay for him to take you home, but letting me ride with you, that's totally out of the question." Miriallia sighed.

"No I swear! He'll be okay with it!" Cagalli assured her and they started to do the work for the day.

-o0o-

"Transfer to the back." His voice was commanding.

"What? But why?" Another voice tried to protest.

"Because I said so." The authority in his voice was not wavering.

"But I want to sit here in the front."

"Transfer to the backseat now Dearka." Athrun instructed him one more time. They were in front of the pastry shop waiting for Cagalli to finish. Dearka was oblivious to the fact they were waiting for Cagalli and persisted to be in the front seat.

With one final glare from Athrun, Dearka finally figured that it would be best to comply rather than being kicked out of Athrun's car. He unbuckled the seatbelt from his body and went out of the front seat.

"When will your car get fixed?" Athrun asked Dearka as he seated himself comfortably on the back seat, with putting both of his arms up and placing his palms to where his head could rest on.

"I don't know, maybe a week or two. But isn't this fun? I get to ride with you everyday." Dearka jokingly said to him.

"You twit. Who in the right mind would drive while drunk?" Athrun grunted. With the state of Dearka's car, it would take a month to get it fixed. It was a good thing that even though Dearka's car was in a bad shape, he was miraculously unscathed.

"You drive even when you're drunk don't you?" Dearka defended himself.

"I don't even get drunk because I know my limits." Athrun responded or rather even if he drinks a lot he really doesn't get drunk. Tipsy at times, yes, but that drunk to crash into a tree? No.

"Yeah right." Dearka snorted. "You think I should get a new one?"

"Maybe."

"But I love that car!" The thought of replacing his car made him shiver.

"Then ride with Yzak! Not with me!" Athrun groaned to himself.

"Are you that busy to not let me ride with you?" Dearka asked his friend, pretending to feel gloomy all the while, still unaware what the purpose of stopping in front of Cagalli's pastry shop was.

Just as Athrun was about to answer him, a tap was heard on his window. It was Cagalli.

"Oh… I see what it is." Dearka then realized why Athrun was too 'busy'.

With one press of the button, the window rolled down and there Cagalli was, leaning on the window. "Did you forget something?" Athrun's voice became gentler, to Dearka's amazement. He never knew that he could be like that to someone he just met. Athrun wasn't even that gentle when he was talking to his secretary.

"No I didn't. I just wanted to ask you if my best friend Miriallia could ride with us. Her house is along the way! I promise!" She pointed to Miriallia who was shyly standing behind her. "I mean, if it's okay with you."

"It's okay." He gave her a smile to reassure her.

"See I told you its okay with him!" She gave her friend a 'thumbs up'.

"So you're a chauffeur now?" Dearka raised his eyebrow.

"Shut up Dearka." Athrun said before Cagalli and Miriallia got inside the car.

"Hello Athrun." Miriallia greeted the man that would give her a ride, politely. "Thanks for letting me ride."

"No problem."

Dearka couldn't help but to gape at the girl that sat with him at the back. It was the hot chick that he saw one time. He was unable to see her frequently as she was always in the kitchen.

"Why hello there gorgeous." Dearka tried to look suave in front of her, smoothing out his hair. This might be the only time that he'd get to talk to her.

"Hello." She replied because she found it impolite not to, he appeared to be Athrun's friend.

"I'm Dearka." He brought out his hand for Miriallia to shake.

"Miriallia." She shook his hand as quickly as possible.

"Miriallia," Athrun called from the front seat. "Dearka's a real pervert so I wouldn't go affiliate myself with him if I were you."

"Bastard!" Dearka cursed his friend but turned to Cagalli. "Cagalli! Please tell Miriallia that I'm not a pervert like Athrun says!"

"Uhm…" Cagalli giggled. "I guess you're not extremely perverted."

"How very assuring Cagalli." Miriallia laughed with the couple on the front.

After a while, it was Miriallia's stop. She got out of the car along with Dearka claiming that it was also his stop and gave Athrun defiant stare to not give him away. He was going to try and talk a bit more with Miriallia. Athrun didn't want to meddle with Dearka's monkey business and just let him do what he wanted.

"Does Dearka really live in that direction?" Cagalli asked Athrun when the two of them went ahead; skepticism was evident in his voice.

"Not really. He just wanted to get to know Miriallia better."

"What?" Cagalli asked him in disbelief. Her best friend was with Athrun's perverted best friend! "Will she be okay?"

"Of course she will." Athrun laughed at Cagalli's terror. "I promise you Dearka won't violate her… Well maybe not until he's drunk." He joked.

"He won't drink today right?"

"Of course he won't." He assured her.

"That's good to hear then." She let out a breath of relief and a moment of silence prevailed over them.

"Hey Cagalli…" Athrun said, finally breaking into the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Are you free this Saturday?" He asked her.

"Uhm… I guess so…" Cagalli answered him with uncertainty. "Why?"

"Because you introduced me to your brother, I think it's only mandatory that I introduce you to my family as well." Athrun told her.

"Your family? Did you tell them that I was pregnant?" She became petrified. What if Athrun's parents were those strict types?

"Yep. I told them today when they got back from their overseas trip. They're surprisingly fine with it. In fact, they wanted to meet you today, but I told them that you had work." He answered calmly.

"You told them that you met me in some random bar and had sex with me at the spur of the moment?"

"Yes."

"They didn't get mad?" Cagalli found it hard to believe that Athrun's parents weren't enraged. Weren't they supposed to yap about how irresponsible their son's actions were and slap him in the face or something like that? Kira was when he found out.

"They were shocked but not mad." Athrun replied. "I told you before, my mother wants grandchildren already."

"I see…" Cagalli's voice trailed off. She still didn't believe her ears.

"It's settled then?" Athrun asked her one more time to confirm. "You'll meet with my parents this Saturday?"

"Hmm…" She scratched her head to think.

"Don't worry." Athrun decided to lighten up the mood, Cagalli was worrying again. "My parent's don't bite like I do."

"Okay." Although she was unsure whether it would be a good idea or not, but she agreed to it anyway. On their way back home, she couldn't help wonder what Athrun's parents would be like.

-o0o-

Just a quick question: What month do you think the baby should be born? January? February? I want it sometime in between Athrun and Cagalli's birthday.

Is my fic getting boring? :(

Additional Notes:

[1] Victoria! From Gundam Seed! The place that Muruta Azrael assaulted so he could get a hold of their mass driver to go to space to get his hands on Freedom and Justice. :D I still remember!

[2] Because Shiho came from Victoria, the name most suitable for the perfumes is 'Victoria's Secret' of course! Don't kill me for my lame brain activity. =))

[3] & [4] Sweet Pea is my most favorite scent ever! But I'm using Cherry Blossoms right now. But both of them didn't come from Victoria's Secret. Okaaaay… Not relevant I know. HAHAHA. Ignore me. :))


	14. A visit to the Zala household

A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update! :( I know I'm not updating as fast as I used to be! Believe me, I would have updated sooner, only if I didn't have so much school work to do. There have been so many essays to write and so much tests and readings to study for! I hope all of you still look forward to reading this fic!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 14: A Visit to the Zala household

-o0o-

"Name and purpose of visit?" A voice could be heard from the intercom.

"Athrun Zala, need I say my purpose of visit?"

"My apologies young master." A timid laugh could be heard from the other line. Seconds later, the gate to the Zala manor opened.

"What the hell, he just called you 'young master'?" Cagalli snickered a bit at what the voice called him. She was seated in the passenger's seat of Athrun's car.

"What's wrong with that?" Athrun asked her as they went inside the Zala Household.

"Hello! Earth to Athrun! They just called you 'young master'!" Cagalli emphasized the word disbelievingly.

"Well… Maybe I'm not as young as I once was…" His voice trailed off. He was called the 'young master' even before he could recall when their maids and butlers started calling him that.

"Right." Cagalli wasn't convinced. "My, what a big garden you have here." Cagalli sarcastically said to him, but wasn't even joking when she said that. In fact, it was an understatement. They passed through a lot of trees and everything that was green before Athrun's house was finally in sight.

"My mom's into gardening." He stated, pointing to the flowers that they passed by. "She's planted every single flower that you can see here."

Before Cagalli could even answer, Athrun turned his engine off.

"We're here." He announced, while getting out of the car to open Cagalli's side of the car door.

Cagalli could only gape at the sight before her. This freaking handsome sex machine had a mansion! A mansion for Pete's sake! And she thought that Athrun was only joking when he told her that his mother planted every flower here. She mentally slapped herself when she remembered that they were greeted by the intercom. At first she thought that the intercom was for the residence area. But no, it seemed that the only residence here was Athrun's.

"Young master!" They were greeted by an aged butler. "My apologies for not recognizing you! I was unable to recognize your vehicle." The butler lowered his head a bit. He also gave a polite nod to Cagalli as an acknowledgement that they usually did to their guests.

"It's all right Klaus." [1] Athrun laughed it off. Klaus had the habit of taking things too seriously at times. "Are my parents awake already?"

"Yes of course. Mister and Mistress Zala are currently-" The butler wasn't able to finish his sentence because there was an excited squeal that could be heard from inside the house.

"Athrun dear! Oh my! You're here already!"

Cagalli took one look at the woman running towards them and instantly knew that it was Athrun's mother. Even though she looked incredibly young to be a mother, she knew that Athrun didn't have any siblings.

"Oh honey! I've missed you so much! Our vacation in Europe would be happier if my little boy came with us." She gave Athrun a tight hug.

"I missed you as well, mother. I would have tagged along, but I have work remember." Athrun seemed pretty embarrassed that his mother was treating him like an eight year old boy but returned the hug anyway.

"You must be Cagalli Hibiki right?" His mother took one quick glance at Cagalli and gave her a tight hug as well when Cagalli shyly nodded. "Wow! You're so pretty! Athrun's very lucky to have chosen you."

"Th-thank you!" She stuttered nervously as she didn't know what to say at the spur of the moment. And she thought that his mother would be so aggravated to see her, boy she thought wrong. 

"You can call me mom!" Leonore gave the Cagalli a wink.

"Mom?" Cagalli asked disbelievingly, Athrun's mother seemed to be in a pretty good mood.

"Where's father?" Athrun didn't seem to mind that Leonore wanted Cagalli to call her 'mom'.

"Oh he's inside." She excitedly pulled Cagalli along with her. "Come on in Cagalli dear! Papa will be so thrilled to see a pretty girl like you in here."

Cagalli didn't even have time to protest because she was dragged inside the enormous house with all the fancy and sparkly chandeliers and furniture. A number of maids and butlers greeted them a very warm welcome. A maid even insisted on carrying her bag for her, much to Cagalli's discomfort. This ridiculously handsome sex machine didn't even bother to tell her that he was this rich!

As they walked in the halls, Athrun and Leonore walking so close by each other, Cagalli couldn't help but be in awe. Their house was freaking magnificent! There were all sorts of exquisite paintings and displays. If she was to break any urn or anything valuable, she knew that it would take a lifetime for her to pay for it.

She was led into a big room with these lavish couches. If it were her couch and if this were her house, she would have dashed to it and snuggled in comfortably. But it wasn't, so she waited patiently for any one to offer her to seat.

"Make yourself comfortable Cagalli." Leonore offered her and she didn't hesitate to comply for even one moment. Athrun followed and took the seat beside her.

"What did you two have for lunch?" Leonore asked the both of them as she sat down with them.

"We haven't eaten lunch yet mother." Athrun answered. Cagalli was too shy to even open her mouth to speak, so she let Athrun do all the talking. "There was unexpected traffic on the way here."

"Not yet? But it's afternoon already!" She looked at her watch, it read two thirty. "Klaus, can you please tell Mana to prepare lunch for the both of them?" She turned to the butler from a while ago, who was surprisingly following them.

"Yes of course." He gave another light bow before asking. "What about for you and Sir?"

"You can serve tea for us." Leonore smiled warmly at the butler, which Cagalli found very caring of her.

"Young Master, I'll call for you and Miss Cagalli when lunch is prepared." Klaus looked at the couple in front of him.

"Thanks Klaus!" Athrun also gave him a friendly smile. Cagalli thought that Athrun was the bratty type of son. So they were the nice-and-friendly kind of rich, not the cruel-and-obnoxious kind of rich.

Before they could even start a conversation, Athrun's father entered the room. "Oh there you all are!"

"Honey! Where were you? Athrun and Cagalli arrived ages ago!" Leonore went on about at his husband's lateness.

"I'm sorry honey! I just couldn't tear myself away from the television!" Patrick Zala apologized for making them wait for him.

"Let me guess, a basketball game was on?" Athrun chuckled as he stood up to give his father a light hug.

"You guessed it right my son!" Patrick patted his son on the shoulder and turned his attention to the blonde seated nervously. "Hello Cagalli." He reached out his hand for Cagalli to shake.

"Good afternoon sir!" She took his hand and shook it.

"Sir? Why so formal? You can just call me dad!" He winked at her.

At first, Cagalli found it to be very awkward to be in the same room with Athrun's parents. Weren't they supposed to be mad at her for kind of ruining their son's reputation? She expected them to say: _"Why are you two so careless? Don't you care about what other people will think of you?" _But it seemed like the other way around as they treated her like she was a part of their family already.

When they were seated all together, they made sure that Cagalli knew everything that they were talking about, retelling every story so as make Cagalli relate to everything they were talking about. They told her stories about what they would do as a family; back in the days Athrun wasn't as busy as he was. Athrun's childhood. How Leonore and Patrick both met and fell in love. Pretty soon, Cagalli felt comfortable while talking with Athrun's parents.

Patrick and Leonore, even though they were already married for many years, were still acting like a very cute couple. Leonore was trying to feed Patrick a cake with her fork. And they kept calling each other 'Honey' and other pet names of the sort, which sounded so cute. The sparkle in their eyes when they look at each other was also evident. They also treated Athrun like an eight year old kid as they were also feeding him with Leonore's fork.

"Cagalli! You too! Say ahh!" Leonore scooped a mouthful of cake and the fork went to her direction. Cagalli couldn't say no as the cake looked very mouth-watering and she was eyeing on it the moment the maids brought it to the room.

"So delicious…" She muttered to herself while taking in the taste of the cake, which the three other people in the room heard her and laughed, much to Cagalli's embarrassment.

"_What nice family they have here."_ Cagalli mused to herself as they were now laughing at Athrun's pictures. Leonore brought out a baby album of Athrun and showed it to her; she couldn't help but laugh at Athrun's pictures. Who knew that the cute and drooling baby in the picture would become the fine and handsome man that Athrun is now? There were also pictures of him with only his underwear on. There was even a photo of him wearing a frilly dress! Athrun seemed to be so embarrassed while Cagalli was browsing through the photos, his face that had a slight tint of red that proved it.

And it wasn't just one photo. There was another…

And another…

And another…

And another, with a tutu skirt to be exact…

"Oh my! What do we have here? Athrun Zala of ZAFT is into ballerina and all sorts of girly stuff when he was young!" Cagalli couldn't help but snicker to herself. This may only be the time that she might get to tease the perverted Athrun and compensate for those times that he renders her embarrassed and speechless.

"Stop looking at those photos!" Athrun got the album from her and hid it behind him.

"Athrun dear! Why did you do that? Cagalli was still looking at those photos!" She pouted and turned to look at the blonde beside him. "And besides? Didn't he look cute in that pink dress?"

"He does! He does!" Cagalli agreed with her. She wasn't even joking. Athrun really looked like a girl in a dress. He looked a hell lot girlier than she ever was when she was still a baby.

"Man up son!" Patrick piped in. "You can't deny that you wore a pink dress when you were young. Although, I admit that you looked pretty in a dress."

All the people in the room, except for Athrun, were almost crying with so much laughter.

"I'm sorry son! I couldn't help myself!" Leonore apologized; she was the one behind it. "I thought that I was going to have a girl so I bought as many girl clothes as possible, but then when you came to be a boy. The thought of the waste of throwing the clothes away disheartened me, so I tried some of the clothes on you."

"I tried to stop her son!" Patrick defended himself when Athrun was giving the both of them a glare. "But your mother insisted to try it on you."

"Aww…" Cagalli chimed in. "Don't be too embarrassed about this Athrun! I won't tell anyone." She put a finger on her lips. "Well, maybe I'll tell Dearka that 'Real men wear pink dresses once in a while'."

"Cagalli!" Athrun almost begged, which astounded Cagalli. "Please don't tell anyone about this!"

"Fine, fine." Cagalli stuck her tongue out, clearly winning the battle this time. "Can't I at least have one photo of you in a dress?"

"No way in the hell!" His grip on the album got tighter. No way in the hell was he going to make a laughingstock out of himself.

The four of them were having so much fun talking with each other, and Athrun's fashion sense when he was young, that they didn't notice that it got so late in the evening. When Leonore saw Cagalli stifled a yawn, it was the only time they realized that none of the four of them were keeping track of time.

"Goodness me!" Leonore looked at the window, it was raining very hard. "You two can't go home with that rain! Besides, it's already so late!"

"Athrun, I suggest that the two of you stay for the night." Patrick Zala cleared his throat from so much laughter.

With the look on Cagalli's face, Athrun knew what the problem was. "But mother, Cagalli didn't bring any clothes with her."

"That's alright; we can let her borrow your old clothes. I'm sure it'll fit her perfectly! Even though Cagalli's pregnant, she still is pretty sexy!" Leonore smirked at the both of them.

"You should lend her your pink dress son!" Patrick added in.

"Father!" Athrun couldn't explain the mortification that he felt right now. His parents promised him to never tell anyone about this and now they were showing every bit of evidence that once in his childhood, he wore frilly dresses. What would Yzak and Dearka say if they see these? _Wow, a real man you are Athrun. A real man._ He imagined the both of them saying that.

"I'm just kidding son." Patrick patted his son's shoulder and turned to look at Cagalli. "Don't worry, we were prepared for your stay so we bought spare clothes for you."

"Well problem solved then!" Leonore clapped both her palms together. "Let's all get some rest!"

"Where's Cagalli going to sleep?" Athrun asked his mother, who was on her way out of the room.

"In your room of course!" Leonore gave both of them a knowing look.

"In his room?" Cagalli gasped. She was going to sleep in the same room with the handsome sex machine again? "B-but…"

"I think that's reasonable enough." Patrick said as he also let out a yawn.

"Papa's getting sleepy!" Leonore smiled at her husband and grabbed him by the hand. "I'll tell Mana to prepare the clothes for you Cagalli. Goodnight Athrun! Goodnight Cagalli! Sleep like a lovey dovey couple tonight!" With that, Leonore closed the door shut.

-o0o-

"They bought you a night dress?" Athrun couldn't help but laugh when they saw the pink night dress laid down on his bed.

"It's pink and it's a dress." Cagalli sighed in disbelief. Of all things she hated, pink and dress were combined to form a single pink dress, which was now the thing that she hate the most. But she couldn't turn down the hospitality of Athrun's parents and decided to use it anyway. They were kind to her all day. Besides, they even fed her cake, one of the things that she loved the most.

"Do want to enter the shower first?" Cagalli was startled when she took a look at Athrun; he was already taking of his clothes, unbuttoning his polo casually like he was alone in his room. She could almost see his glorious abs…

But before she could drool for the second time, she snapped out of her thoughts. No way was he taking her for the second time! "What are you doing? Put that back on!" Cagalli immediately went to him to put the buttons of his polo back together. If this sex machine was trying to seduce her for the second time, well, er, it just might work. So she was putting the buttons back in place just to be sure. She was careful not to make her fingers feel his flesh ever again.

"What am I doing? What are _you_ doing?" Athrun was taken aback for a moment before chuckling at the blonde's actions. She looked so paranoid while putting the buttons back on.

"Why are you removing your clothes while I'm still in the room?" Cagalli was panting out of nervousness.

"What's wrong with that?" Athrun asked her as if it was the most usual thing to ask some girl he knew for only three weeks.

"Hello?" Cagalli wanted to pull out her hair out of her scalp. "I'm a girl and you're a boy in case you've forgotten!"

"I haven't forgotten that." Athrun shrugged it off and sat down on his bed. It was still as comfortable as he remembered it to be. "How can I forget that you're a girl with those boobs?"

"You pervert!" Cagalli threw the night dress at his incredibly handsome face.

"Me?" Athrun chuckled when she said that. "I'm not the one that puts perverted thoughts into removing clothes. Look whose talking, perverted princess…"

"But still!" Cagalli got the night dress from him and went inside the bathroom. "Whatever! You're still the pervert here!

"_That Athrun! What a perv! Taking his clothes while I was still in front of him!" _Cagalli irritably thought to herself, with a tint of red in her cheeks.

She closed the door and was shocked for the nth time of the day. This bathroom of his was unbelievably large. Her room and Kira's combined, was still smaller than his bathroom. She could even host a slumber party in this bathroom and they still would fit inside. She knew that Athrun was rich, but not _this_ rich.

As she was showering, she couldn't help but think about what she would do when she got out of the bathroom. Would she and Athrun sleep beside each other, again? What did his father mean by 'I think that's reasonable enough'? It's not like they were husband and wife to be sleeping in the same room.

If Kira were to find out that they slept in the same room, he would go ballistic. Wait a damn minute; Kira doesn't even know that she was staying at Athrun's house tonight. She remembered that she put her cell phone into silent mode, so if ever Kira was calling her…

She wouldn't hear it.

Forgetting the soothing effect that the shower brought, Cagalli immediately put on the blue bathrobe. She knew that the pink bathrobe was the one that she was supposed to use because it was right beside the blue one, but then a pink night dress for the whole night was enough. Athrun could use the pink one. He was the one parading with a pink dress when he was younger.

After she put on the bathrobe, she dashed out of the bathroom and went to her bag.

"You okay?" Athrun, still relaxing in his bed, stood up to see what she was doing.

"Yeah I just have to check my…" Her voice trailed off as she got her phone from her bag.

_9 missed calls._

Before she could even say "shit", her phone rang. Kira was calling her for the tenth time tonight.

She nervously clicked answer and placed her phone near her ears because she expected Kira to be screaming. "Hello?"

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT FREAKING TIME IT IS?" Kira's exasperated voice could be heard from the other line, even Athrun heard it. Cagalli was right not to press the phone to her ears.

"Its eleven thirty Kira." Cagalli didn't know anything else to say in that particular moment.

"Don't play smart with me Cagalli! Where is Mister Number One?"

"He's here."

"Well, does he even intend to take you home?" Kira was getting more impatient.

"No. Not really."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'NO'? Give this phone to that ZAFT freak and I'll give him a piece of my mind!"

"Kira!" Cagalli shouted back. "Tone down your voice okay? I'm getting deaf here. Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow. His mom wouldn't let us leave home because it's raining hard."

"Oh I see…" Kira seemed to have calmed down. "Where will you sleep then?"

"His house of course."

Before Cagalli could even hear what Kira had to say next, Athrun grabbed her phone from her hands and spoke. "Hello there Mister Number Three!"

"You ZAFT freakazoid! What are you doing talking on the phone? I didn't ask for you!" Kira got instantly annoyed when he heard Athrun's voice.

"You asked for me! Don't you remember? You just said 'Give this phone to that ZAFT freak and I'll give him a piece of my mind!', now give me a piece of your mind. Although I don't really need a piece of your mind… But maybe I could give you a piece from mine…"

"Why you smartass!" Cagalli couldn't believe that Athrun was provoking Kira yet again.

"I am a smartass aren't I? That's why don't even bother giving me a piece of your mind." Athrun laughed, much to Kira's annoyance.

"Alright that's enough!" Cagalli got the phone from Athrun to prevent Kira exploding with anger again. "Anyway, don't worry about me. I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."

"Fine, fine." Kira sighed. He had no choice anyway. "Whatever you do, don't sleep beside that Mister Number One."

"Okay. Got it. Bye." Cagalli put down her phone before Kira could say more.

"Are you done with your shower?" Athrun asked her.

"Yeah. You can go and shower now." She nodded.

"Wait why are you using my bathrobe?" Athrun creased his eyebrow.

"You can use the pink one!" Cagalli gave him a smug smile and tried to tease him. "After all you like pink right? And you know what, I think this pink night dress once belonged to you."

Athrun noticed that Cagalli was still using the photos that she saw against him. No way was he letting her get the advantage. "You're right. I like pink."

Cagalli couldn't believe her ears. The sex machine was confessing to her that he liked pink! Boy this was new. "You do?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Oh my! I didn't know that you were-"

"You know what type of pink I like most?" He seemed to be sneering now. And he was walking to her, which she found really creepy and walked backwards.

"What kind of pink then?" Cagalli was getting nervous with the sudden change in Athrun's tone. She couldn't back away anymore; her back was against the wall of Athrun's room already.

Athrun's fingers were holding the ends of Cagalli's hair as leaned closer to her ear. The feeling of his hot breath tickling her skin made Cagalli whimper. The sex machine was leaning pretty close! The look on his eyes was killing her! It was the same look that he had during that night…

"What are you-" Cagalli tried to push him away but he proved to be stronger. She was panicking at the closeness. Will he try to kiss her again?

"I like your pink p…" The emphasis on the last letter made Cagalli blush like never before.

Athrun took one step away from her and took a good look on her flushed face. That would be enough to keep her mouth shut about that those photos. Looking at her stunned face, he couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Will you still blackmail me about those photos?" He stuck out his tongue.

After a few moments of shock, Cagalli regained her composure. This sex machine was making fun of her!

"You perveeeert!" She wanted to smack him on the head but he was already dashing to the bathroom.

"I think I should call you 'triple p' now!" Athrun was still laughing, which pissed Cagalli off. "Or maybe even 'quadruple p'!"

-o0o-

"What are you still doing there?" Athrun asked Cagalli when he came out of the shower. Cagalli was seated in his couch, wearing the pink night dress that Mana prepared for her. "You should sleep."

Cagalli wanted to laugh when she saw Athrun walk out with the pink bathrobe on, but she didn't dare laugh. With what he did to her earlier, she knew that he had too many perverted stunts on his sleeve.

"No it's okay… I'll sleep here on the couch." Cagalli lay down comfortably and tried to relax. It was not difficult to do so because the couch was as comfortable as the one that she sat on earlier.

"Don't be ridiculous. Sleep on the bed." He got a hold on her hand and tugged it lightly.

"That's your bed so you should be the one sleeping on it! Not me!" Cagalli retorted. "Don't worry, I'm fine here." She snuggled in the couch just to prove so.

"Even if you say that I still won't let you sleep on the couch."

"I'm just fine here!" Cagalli insisted.

"Sleep on the bed."

"I want to sleep in the couch!"

"Bed."

"Couch!"

"Bed."

"Couch!"

"Bed."

"Couch!"

"Bed."

"Couch!"

"You really won't give in, won't you?" Athrun scratched his head. Cagalli was proving to be very stubborn.

"Of course I won-" Cagalli was taken aback with what Athrun did next. The sex machine scooped her up from the couch and headed to where the bed was.

"Athrun!" Cagalli tried to get down, but to no avail. "Put me down!"

"Your wish is my command!" He gently laid her down, on the bed.

"I thought I told you that I was fine on the couch!" She yelled at him, clearly irritated that he had easily carried her to the bed.

"Well, I thought I told you to sleep on the bed." He replied nonchalantly and sat on the couch. "I'll be the one sleeping on this couch." He gave the couch a light pat, smirking at Cagalli all the while.

"WAIT JUST A MINUTE!" Cagalli and Athrun looked at the uninvited guest in their room, it was Athrun's mother.

"Mother! I thought you were sleeping already!"

Leonore stifled a laugh when she saw Athrun wearing the pink bathrobe. "Son…" She tried her best to contain her laughter. "How could I even sleep when you two are having a lover's quarrel?"

"Leonore, are you here?" Patrick also went inside and saw what Athrun was wearing; he didn't even try to control his laughter. Leonore laughed with him as well. "My son, I didn't know that you still liked pink!" He said in between breaths.

"That's out of the question!" Athrun defended himself and rushed to the bathroom to change.

Leonore cleared her throat and started to speak. "Well since you two keep quarrelling on who gets to sleep on the couch, I'll make the decision myself. You two will sleep on the bed. Patrick, carry that couch out of this room!"

"Right away honey!" Patrick went and got a hold of the couch. Soon enough, Klaus ran to help him.

"Let me help you Sir." Klaus went to the other end and helped him carry the couch out of the room.

Athrun finally went out of the bathroom, wearing a t-shirt and boxers. "Where's my couch?" It was the first thing that he noticed when he got outside the bathroom.

"Oh I told Patrick and Klaus to take it outside the room since the two of you couldn't stop arguing about it." Leonore smiled at Cagalli. "Now you two can peacefully sleep on the bed together."

"Okay." Athrun agreed, with caused Cagalli's jaw to drop. She was going to sleep beside the sex machine again!

"Goodnight you two! Sleep well tonight! I hope this leads into me having twins as grandchildren!" Leonore winked at the two of them and finally closed the door.

Cagalli sighed as she lay down the bed, it couldn't be helped then. She would be sleeping beside Athrun again. At least the bed was so comfortable to lie on. It was also humongous. Talk about King Size beds! At least even if she were to stretch her arms and legs all over the bed, there still would be space for Athrun to lie on.

She didn't even hear Athrun lay down beside her, because she immediately went to dreamland.

-o0o-

_It was raining that same night…_

_Cagalli was walking aimlessly, her whole body drenched from the rain. She looked at her surroundings and was still unable to figure out where she was. She didn't know why she was here in the first place._

_Oh wait, this place seems familiar after all._

_The same road that they always drove on…_

_The car that they had when they were little…_

_Before she knew it, she was seated in the backseat of their car, she looked to her side and saw Kira seated beside her._

_Kira…_

_And then there was a flash of lightning…_

Like lightning, Cagalli bolted up from the bed, panting. She sighed out of relief. It was just a dream. It was a long time before she dreamt of that dream yet again. She looked at the window; the raindrops were trickling on the glass. Maybe the rain was a contributing factor on why she had dreamt of it again.

"You had a bad dream?"

It was Athrun. Cagalli looked at the empty space beside her but the voice didn't come from there. She looked at the lit part of the bedroom and saw Athrun, typing away in his computer.

"Well, not really…"

"Oh come on Cagalli…" Athrun closed his laptop shut and crawled on the bed with her.

"It wasn't really a bad dream." Cagalli tried to deny it, but it didn't convince Athrun.

"Come here." Athrun pulled Cagalli down to the bed with him and held her waist closer to him.

"You perverted sex machine! What are you doing?" Cagalli blushed as she felt her back touch against his chest.

"I'm not hugging you. I'm hugging the baby. See!" He wiggled his arms around her waist but didn't let go.

"I guess that's excusable." Cagalli sighed in defeat.

"Mind telling me what your bad dream was about?" Athrun asked her when she started to relax.

"Mind telling me what you're still doing in the middle of the night?"

"I was working."

"You're a really busy person." Cagalli's eye's never left the window.

"Maybe."

"Your parents are pretty nice." It was true. Athrun's parents showed her warmth that she never expected.

"They are, aren't they? All our employees in our house love them so much. My parents wanted all of our employees to address them by their first name but they were all embarrassed to do so…"

"They're really nice. I expected your mom to slap me not hug me."

"My mom won't do that to you…" Athrun chuckled.

"She didn't." She felt the sleepiness overtaking her. This bed was so damn comfortable, not to mention the hug that Athrun was giving her was making it extra cozy.

"So tell me, what did you dream of?"

"I… dreamt… about… the…" Cagalli felt her that eyelids were heavy. The moment she closed her eyes, she went back to dreamland, unbeknownst to the sex machine behind her.

"Hmm… She fell asleep already?" He leaned to take a closer look; the blonde beside her was snoring lightly.

He felt that he needed to continue with his work, but if he did, he would have to let go of his grip on Cagalli.

"_I'll continue my work tomorrow, 'double p' might wake up if I let go."_

-o0o-

[1] Klaus, from Hayate the Combat Butler, the old butler of the rich brat, Nagi Sanzenin. I do not own him as well.


	15. Speak of the Devil

A/N: Hello again! Sorry for the late update, but here it is! I'll try to post chapter 16 next week!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny. I swear I'll own this one day. And if I do own it, I'll make an AsuCaga movie.

Chapter 15: Speak of the Devil

-o0o-

"Your baby appears to be pretty healthy, no need to worry." The doctor sat down in her seat.

"Is that so? That's good to hear." Cagalli let out a sigh of relief, as the doctor jotted down notes in her notepad. Cagalli, with the recommendation of Athrun's mother, finally went to the doctor to have a check up.

"Where's your husband?" The doctor adjusted her glasses to take a good look of Cagalli, who was seated in front of her. She wondered why only Cagalli entered. She knew perfectly that Leonore had a son, so this girl may be the wife of Athrun.

"He-he's not my husband!" She flailed her palms around for emphasis. "Athrun's not my husband…"

"Let me rephrase my question then." The doctor cleared her throat, clearly baffled by the idea that Athrun wasn't the husband yet the girl was already pregnant. Shouldn't people get married first before having a baby? Geez. Young people nowadays. "Where's the father of the baby?"

"He's outside!" Cagalli answered her and pointed to the door behind her.

"Why is he outside?" The doctor furrowed her brow, it was unusual for the husband, in Cagalli's case, father of the baby, to just be standing outside and waiting for them to finish. "Tell him to come inside."

Cagalli could only laugh nervously. The doctor was being so inquiring about Athrun. "He'll come inside eventually. He just answered a very important call."

"What could be more important that having their baby checked?" She said to Cagalli. It seemed like the doctor got annoyed by Cagalli's answer, the furrow on her brow was enough evidence to prove it. She sure was annoyed; she hated it when the parents prioritized other things than the baby.

"Erm…" Cagalli couldn't even mutter a reply. Doctor Ramius looked pretty furious at Athrun's absence.

When the situation was getting awkward for Cagalli, Athrun finally came inside the room. Speak of the good timing of the devil.

He sat down the chair beside Cagalli. "So doc, what did I miss?"

"Well, if you were here a while ago, you wouldn't miss anything." She sardonically answered his question. "And I wouldn't have to repeat myself."

Cagalli gulped nervously. Why was this doctor getting so mad over a trivial thing? She turned to look at Athrun; confusion was plastered all over his features.

"I'm sorry, I had a-" Athrun's phone rang yet again, even before he could continue with his sentence. "Wait, I'm so sorry, but I need to answer this." He excused himself and started to stand up.

"Ignore that call." Doctor Ramius said in a very commanding tone.

The phone was still ringing and Athrun looked at her with bewilderment. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, I said ignore that call." The frightening glare in the doctor's eyes weren't faltering. "Is answering that call more important than hearing what you've already missed?"

He looked at the fuming doctor and Cagalli, who seemed to be anxious already. "Okay then…" Athrun clicked the 'ignore' button and sat back down. Before they went to have a check-up, his mother warned him about Doctor Ramius temperamental behavior, but he didn't expect it to be this severe.

Murrue Ramius cleared her throat and started to brief the couple in front of her on the status of their baby. "Like what I said to Cagalli a while ago while you were so 'busy', the baby is in good shape. The only means to keeping it that way is by you, Cagalli." She glanced at Cagalli's direction for a second or two.

"Me?" Cagalli pointed to herself, feeling dumbfounded.

"Yes, we always have to make sure that the mother is healthy. You absolutely cannot skip meals and we have to make sure that you aren't stressed or-"

Athrun's phone rang again, he saw the caller id, it was one of the important clients that their company was currently having business deals with. He knew he needed to answer that, but Doctor Ramius might get mad again. In the most polite tone that he could muster, he spoke softly. "Doc, I really need to answer this, please excuse me for a few minutes."

"It seems like you don't really care at all." Murrue banged her fists on the table. "You schedule for an appointment but you don't really seem to give a damn participation in it!" She took a deep breath before continuing. "If anything, I mean anything, happens to Cagalli and the baby because of your carelessness, I swear, I will rip out your throat! I don't care if Leonore's my friend and if you're her son, I will rip out your throat! You understand?"

Athrun and Cagalli were both so astounded with Murrue's sudden outburst. But it was Athrun that had the guts to finally speak.

"I get it, I get it. Why are you so mad anyway?"

"_Athrun you idiot! You're adding fuel to the fire!" _If only Cagalli could, she would have bit her hails in nervousness.

But it was the exact opposite as Murrue Ramius sat back down in her chair and regained her calm composure. "Nothing really. Next!"

-o0o-

"Doctor Murrue was really something." Cagalli said to Athrun when Doctor Ramius was out of sight. They were walking to get to the main lobby of the hospital.

"You said it." Athrun sighed as he drank from his cup of coffee that he got from the vending machine. "My mother warned me about her moodiness, but yeah, I didn't know that she was that moody."

"Why is she so moody anyway?" Cagalli asked him.

"Well my mom said that she would be in a very bad mood when she and her husband have fights, but then she would have a very good mood when, you know, the both of them get laid."

"Oh I see, then she didn't do it with her husband today…"

"Obviously, or probably had another fight again." He drank the last contents of his cup and tossed it in the trash bin when they finally reached the lobby. "Wait for me here, I'll just get the car."

"Okay." She nodded and Athrun entered the elevator.

Cagalli patiently stood by the door of the main lobby and waited for Athrun to pick her up. She couldn't help but think to herself. She was meeting weird people lately.

First of all, Athrun Zala of ZAFT. He's weird in a very gorgeous way. He's a sex machine but he really doesn't violate her anymore. He may look so nonchalant about everything, but he really does care. She just has a difficult time decoding the indifferent look on his face. What makes her wonder the most is why he still continues to affiliate himself than much with her. She thought he would take responsibility by sending checks to her house every month, but no, he punctually drives her to work.

His best friend, Dearka Elsman, the perverted guy. He keeps hitting on her and Miriallia. Well, since Athrun always smacks him on the head whenever he tries to advance on her, he flirts on Miriallia more now. Miriallia isn't even interested in him; she ignores him when they are seated in the backseat. The poor guy.

Yzak Joule, his hair is silver. Not to mention that he's really hot-headed. Can a guy scream that much every single time? Sometimes, Cagalli wonders if the guy is gay or just needs to enroll in an anger management class.

Athrun's parents. Although they're extremely kind, it's weird. They didn't even get mad at her even a slightest bit and treated her as if she was their daughter as well. They seem to like the idea of her and Athrun as a couple.

Doctor Murrue Ramius, extremely moody. What type of doctor bawls at their patient and threatens them?

While Cagalli was immersed in her thoughts, a person crept up behind her unbeknownst to her.

"Ca-chan!" The person behind her gave her a light tap on the shoulder.

"_Ca-chan?" _Cagalli swore that she had goosebumps when she heard that, with the tap on her shoulder. She perfectly knew who it was, but she refused to even look and acknowledge the owner of the voice. What was he doing in the same hospital?

"Hey Ca-chan?"

She dared not look. She dreaded not to. Why was Athrun taking so long? He should be back here by now. She wanted to leave, but she didn't like to be rude so she turned to look at the person behind her.

It was Shinn Asuka, the two-timing bastard of an ass.

"Shinn." That was all that she could say to him. Of course she wouldn't sob in front of him and beg him to take her back, she got over him already, much faster than she thought she would. She may be a tad irked at him, but then what was the use of getting mad? Besides, she was already pregnant and Shinn wasn't the father of the baby.

"Shinn?" Her ex-boyfriend chuckled lightly when he heard Cagalli's greeting. "Why so formal? You always call me 'bunny' back when we were together, right?"

Cagalli thought for a moment before answering. At impulse she wanted to punch him in the face, but she vehemently tried to control herself from doing so. "Well, we're not together anymore, so I don't see why I should still call you 'bunny'." She coldly answered while keeping her sight on the cold tiles beneath them, avoiding his intent gaze on her all the while.

"Oh… You have a point there." His voice trailed off. Frankly, he was disappointed when she said that to him. He expected her to give her a friendly greeting at the least, but it seemed like she still didn't want to talk to her. A month was long enough to let her cool off right?

Cagalli turned back to the entrance of lobby, secretly wishing that Shinn would leave her alone already. She wanted Athrun to arrive badly than ever before. The situation was getting awkward, Shinn doesn't seem like he's leaving. Where was he? Why was he taking so long to appear? Shinn's stares at her back felt like there were daggers plunging into her skin.

"Hey, do you want to go and get some coffee." Shinn suggested. He didn't understand the 'I don't want to talk to you' act that Cagalli pulled. He wanted to at least be nice to the girl that he dumped.

"No." She bluntly answered, remembering that caffeine wouldn't do the baby any good. Plus, she didn't want to have coffee with Shinn, of all people.

"Look here Ca-chan," Shinn finally mustered the courage. "I know we've already broken up, but I still think that we should be friends."

Cagalli didn't answer. Shinn is really nuts. How could she ever find him as a friend? Heck she couldn't even look at his cheating and two-timing idiotic face, how can she even consider him as a friend? The mere sight of him is very irksome.

"Hey, are you listening?" He went in front of her, blocking her view. This idiot's really getting irritating. Now if Athrun's car were to arrive, she wouldn't see it.

"I have to go." She stammered and started to walk to the door. In truth, Athrun's car still wasn't there but she couldn't stand being in the same radius as Shinn. Call it bitter but she really didn't want to even see him.

"Wait a sec!" Shinn pulled her arm and managed to make her face him. "Are you still mad at me for breaking up with you?"

"_What do you think you idiot?" _Cagalli was annoyed that he managed to make her turn to him. The freak was strong! She struggled to get away from the grip that he had on her arm, but to no avail. "Let go Shinn!"

"Not until you listen to me." His voice was very commanding and Cagalli really wanted to beat the living daylights out of him. This guy was too full of himself! No way was she listening to what he had to say. Whatever is going to come out of his mouth will be lies, she was certain of that. All the things that he said to her, when she was seeing another girl, were all lies. It was a year full of lies and deceit.

"Ca-chan…" Shinn refused to let go and made his grip on her arm even tighter. "You know that I still care for you…"

Even though Cagalli knew that she was over him, even though she thought she was infuriated with him, the gentleness of his voice takes her way back to the time when they were still together. The times when they held hands as they walked, the times that they snuggled in each others arms, the times that they kissed. Back to the time that Shinn loved her.

"_You know that I still care for you…"_

She remembered the first time that she ever fell in love with him. The time that she agreed to be his girlfriend.

All those memories were starting to flood back and Cagalli couldn't help but feel nostalgic at the ecstatic feeling that it brought her back then, the indescribable sensation that she always felt in her chest.

She completely knew that she didn't want to get back with Shinn. Any sane person wouldn't get back with a cheating asshole, but she couldn't deny that she felt very happy when they were together. All the fond memories that they spent together made her want to cry.

She didn't know why she wanted to cry, she already cried every little pain that the break-up caused her when she was with Athrun. She thought she had. Maybe seeing Shinn once again brought it all back.

"Let go Shinn!" She tried to protest.

"Ca-chan listen to me first!"

Soon enough, her eyes started to water… She wanted to get away from here. Where was Athrun?

Athrun?

"Please get your hands off my princess." A voice that she immediately recognized came from behind.

Speak of the devil.

Athrun!

"Who are you?" Shinn was startled that Athrun was interfering that Cagalli got a chance to wriggle her arm out of his grip and ran to Athrun's side.

"That's a question that I'd like to ask you as well."

"Athrun!" She buried her head in his chest and gripped on to him tightly, to his surprise. What made him more astonished was that Cagalli seemed to be crying. He wrapped his left arm around her and patted her head with his right hand. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. I lost my parking ticket so I frantically searched for it, but I ended up paying for the lost ticket."

"I'm sorry too. The parking ticket was with me…" Cagalli managed to say in between sobs.

"No worries."

"Hey! I asked you a question" Shinn cut in, he didn't like the idea that his ex-girlfriend was ignoring him. He also didn't like the fact that Cagalli had replaced him that easily. It's been, a month? And now his 'Ca-chan' and this man were hugging like a lovey-dovey couple and apologizing for parking tickets?

"Why should I even answer you?" Athrun gave him a defiant stare. Cagalli's ex-boyfriend was too full of himself that it annoyed the hell out of Athrun. Good thing Cagalli broke up with him already.

"Are you her new boyfriend?" Shinn asked in disbelief.

Cagalli was really thankful that Athrun arrived. It wasn't really a good-timing because Shinn already managed to harass her, but still at least he arrived. She didn't know why but she always felt so protected when she was with Athrun, minus all of his perverted stunts.

"What do you think?" Athrun wasn't Cagalli's boyfriend, but he wanted to make her ex-boyfriend feel jealous at the sight of the both of them together. By answering 'what do you think?' it won't come out as lying, but it would be enough to convince Cagalli's ex-boyfriend that they were. He also tightened her hold on shivering Cagalli, Cagalli in turn, buried her head more in his chest, making it all the more convincing.

"Ca-chan." Shinn asked Cagalli himself. "Is he your boyfriend now?"

Cagalli didn't answer, and Shinn did not need to hear an answer because it really looked like they were. "I see…" Shinn felt a pang on his chest when he saw Cagalli clinging onto the guy like a lifeline. Heck how could she even think of replacing him that easily with a guy that was hundreds of thousand times more attractive than he ever was and ever will be. "But can I at least talk to Cagalli?"

"No." Athrun answered bluntly.

"What?" Shinn was getting pissed at this guy. He was her boyfriend for over five years and this guy was acting like…. Well, something that infuriated the living hell out of Shinn, thought he shouldn't have been.

"Cagalli doesn't want to talk to you, now does she? If I remember what was going on a while ago, she doesn't even want to be near you." He stated.

Shinn gritted his teeth. It seemed like he lost the battle now, but he would try again next time to make Cagalli talk to him. "Ca-chan, I'll talk to you next time." He started to walk away. He turned to look back at Athrun and Cagalli, still hugging each other. "But I swear, I still care for you."

Cagalli didn't even turn to look at the retreating Shinn and continued to cling to Athrun's arms.

"You okay now?" Athrun waited for Shinn to be out of sight before asking Cagalli who still appeared to be sobbing.

She nodded her head to affirm that she was, still leaning on his chest all the while. Stupid Shinn, making her cry for the nth time.

"Maybe I should have just brought you to the parking lot with me." Athrun muttered, he still had his arms on the sobbing blonde.

"Maybe you should have." Cagalli agreed. If Athrun hadn't made her wait here at the lobby, he wouldn't have to pay for the lost ticket which was with Cagalli and she didn't have to see that cheating asshole, Shinn.

"I'm sorry double p. Don't worry, Shinn already left. You don't have to cry anymore." Athrun gently patted her head to calm her down. "Doctor Murrue's going to kill me if she sees you crying like that."

Speak of the devil.

"ATHRUN ZALA! Just what the hell did you do to Cagalli now?" An angry voice screeched.

"Shit." Athrun cursed in a low tone that only the both of them could hear. Why was she here anyway? Wasn't she supposed to be examining the other pregnant girls and scolding their husbands? "Doctor Murrue, why are you here?"

"It's my lunch break of course!" Murrue answered with irritation evident in her voice. "Are doctors not allowed to have their lunch break?"

"Of course they are." Athrun laughed nervously. "I must have lost track of the time."

"Don't try to dissuade me from the issue here!" Murrue pointed accusingly at Athrun. "Seriously, what did you do to Cagalli? Why is she crying? Are you trying to abscond from your obligation as the father of the baby? Why I ought to-"

"Doctor Murrue! You got it all wrong! Of course I'm not trying to abscond from my obligation." Athrun looked at Cagalli to see if she was going to back him up, but no, she still was crying.

"Haven't I reminded you a while ago to stop putting stress on Cagalli? That's bad for her and the baby! Then why is she crying then?" Murrue gave him a death glare. "Obviously, you caused this!"

"No I didn't!"

"It doesn't look like your innocent!" Murrue furrowed his brow at him.

"You got it all wrong Doctor Murrue." Cagalli finally spoke as she wiped her tears. "I was crying because Athrun's being such a supportive guy. I couldn't help but be so touched and emotional."

"Oh is that so?" Murrue couldn't help but let out an 'aww', but still she continued to yell at Athrun. "You should have chosen your words carefully so she wouldn't have to cry about it!"

"I'm sorry! I swear I'll choose my words with caution next time." Athrun assured Murrue.

"That's good to know. I shall be going ahead of you two now. I'm terribly hungry." She walked towards a man that greeted her with a kiss.

"That must be her husband." Athrun looked at the blonde guy that greeted Doctor Murrue.

"Let's go?" Cagalli asked him.

"Yeah sure." They walked to Athrun's car and he opened the door for Cagalli to enter.

"Thanks for saving me from the wrath of Doctor Murrue." Athrun said to here as he drove out of the hospital.

"Consider that as thanks for sparing me from Shinn's lies." Cagalli smiled at him. She was truly grateful, if Athrun didn't come. She imagined herself bawling in front of her ex-boyfriend, she didn't want to be pitied on by him.

"But you know," Athrun started to say. "I still got yelled at by Doctor Murrue so that didn't really compensate it."

"No way. You said thanks already, so it's compensated." Cagalli laughed.

-o0o-

Even though Shinn walked away from Cagalli and her new boyfriend, he still watched as them from afar. He watched as her new boyfriend still held her close even after he left. It wasn't just a show. So it was true then, he was Cagalli's new boyfriend.

What he couldn't believe was how Cagalli got over him that quickly. By the affections that they showed towards each other, it wasn't possible that they became a couple just now. The two of them might have been a couple just right after Shinn dumped Cagalli. Worse, they might have been a couple even when they were still together. Does that mean that Cagalli cheated on him as well?

No, Cagalli wasn't like that. She probably got together with that new guy when they broke up already. He knew that Cagalli would find some other guy sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to be this fast. Probably, the guy took advantage of Cagalli's melancholic state when they broke up, telling her that he would always be there when she needed someone to talk to.

His fists curled up into a tight ball. He couldn't help but feel so aggravated with that guy. Especially when he was hugging her tight a while ago, Cagalli, hugging him back, made him even more frustrated.

Was he jealous? He didn't know. He had been with Cagalli for how many years now. Of course he still has feelings for Cagalli. After all, Cagalli was his first love. Now there's a new guy that Cagalli turns to, cries to, which was not him.

The thought of the new guy made him very riled up. So what if he has a blue hair? So what if he has emerald eyes. So what if his car looked very expensive and high class? That doesn't mean that he's better than him. That doesn't mean that Cagalli would be happier at his side.

Was he jealous? Maybe he was. Maybe he really is.

"Shinn?" A voice cut his trail of thoughts. Could it be Cagalli?

Speak of the Devil.

Not.

It was Stellar, the girl that he replaced Cagalli with. Sure Stellar's body was more slender than Cagalli's. That was the reason that he felt lustfully attracted to her in the first place. But then now, why did he feel like he made a wrong decision?

Stellar was like a drug. At first, a drug would tempt you. When you finally cannot resist the temptation, you give in. The deed of giving in would intoxicate you and make you addicted to it. When you finally had enough, you realize that you're actually sick of it and regret doing it in the first place.

That was what it felt like for Shinn.

The mere thought of Athrun and Cagalli together made him so infuriated and regret that he had broken up with Cagalli in the first place at the same time. He didn't want Stellar anymore, he wanted Cagalli.

He wanted Cagalli back.

Was he jealous? Hell yeah.

He would get Cagalli back.

He hoped that he wasn't too late.

-o0o-

No Additional Notes for this chapter! :D Maybe next chapter!

A/N: End of Chapter 15! How was it? Review! :) Your feedback is very much appreciated.

Shinn's "Ca-chan" irritates me very much. :-&

To all you Naruto fans out there, I recommend you to read a fic by my friend, uchihasaime: _**Perfection Comes with a Price**_! It's really cute and Sakura and Sasuke centered. :D

See you all in the next chapter!

Ciao! ;)


	16. Attack of the Exes

A/N: Again I apologize for the late update. Yeah, it's because of school. :( And partly because I was having an inner debate with myself about something… Well, never mind that. Hihihihi. I really think that my update will be weekly from now on. But I'll try to update more than once! :D

I forgot to say Thank you to chicken, my best friend, for helping me out on the previous chapter. Love youuu!

Disclaimer: Gundam Seed/Destiny, not mine.

Chapter 16: Attack of the Exes

-o0o-

"Hey Zala." Yzak called out to him.

"Hmm?" Athrun lay down his cup of coffee, which he was enjoying at the moment. As usual, the three of them were in Cagalli's pastry shop, spending their client-free lunch break. "Helping her generate additional sales" – as Athrun would sometimes put it, when Cagalli would irritably scowl at them and ask what they were doing in her shop yet again. It was entirely true, the additional sales, considering the large amount of tip they would frequently leave behind.

"Do you happen to know him?" He pointed to a guy who was a few tables away. "And why he's glaring at you so intently?"

He turned to look at who Yzak's finger was pointed was. To his surprise, he saw Cagalli's ex-boyfriend, Shinn, just as Yzak said. If looks could kill, Athrun would probably be dead by now. But then in this world it couldn't, so Athrun was very much alive and kicking.

"Oh him…" Athrun didn't seem to be frightened even one bit. So what if Shinn was glowering at him? Heck he could glower all he want. "Don't mind him, he's just jealous."

"Maybe you slept with his girl." Dearka gave him a light nudge. He really meant that as a joke, not knowing that is was somehow true.

"That's true." He answered as if it was the most natural thing to say.

"YOU DID WHAT?" Yzak and Dearka were both shocked with Athrun's sudden revelation, and couldn't help but stand up in astonishment. They didn't know that their friend was sleeping with a lot of women without even telling them.

The look on Miriallia, the other employees and on the customers' faces forcibly made Dearka to regain his composure and sat back down. He cleared his throat, signaling Yzak to do the same.

"Dude, you serious?" Dearka toned down the volume of his voice, to which only the three of them could hear.

"Yes I'm serious." He said in a nonchalant tone, partly wanting to tell the whole story behind it but lacking the initiative to. It was far too tedious to do so and he knew that Dearka and Yzak would be interrupting in between his sentences every single time. They just had to find out for themselves.

"Wait a second here." Yzak cut in, trying to process the information that he just heard. "You mean to tell me that you slept with another girl? Other than Meyrin and Cagalli? I thought Cagalli came in immediately after you dumped Meyrin?"

"Cagalli did come right after Meyrin."

"So the girl came before Meyrin?" Yzak asked him.

"You are such a pimp Athrun." Dearka said in utter disbelief. "But can I just say that you seriously score a lot with girls. You ought to share me some. I want a date for Valentine's Day."

"Valentine's Day is still a few months away you playboy." Yzak scoffed at him. Really, this perverted friend of his had only two things his in mind – girls and sex.

"Playboy is a much acceptable name." Dearka chucked. "Athrun's a pimp for crying out loud!"

"You guys," Athrun changed his mind after Dearka called him a 'pimp'. "Cagalli is the other girl."

"Oh I see…" Dearka seemed to have calmed down after Athrun said that. Well, he thought that should have told them in the first place. "So you stole her away from that guy huh?"

"No I didn't." Athrun finished the last contents of his cup and placed an Orb dollar bill on the table. "The bastard was cheating on her and decided to dump her. So I didn't really steal Cagalli away from him."

"What an idiot that guy is." Dearka thought that anyone who would dump Cagalli was crazy. Like Athrun, he also found her attractive, but gave way to Athrun when he was threatening to kill him if he advances on her.

"Sure is." Yzak agreed.

"Wow Yzak you're in a good mood today." Normally, Yzak would always be gritting his teeth and trembling with frustration. Maybe the ambiance of Cagalli's pastry shop helps lighten his mood.

Soon enough the three of them were laughing their way out of Cagalli's pastry shop.

-o0o-

"_Those bastards!"_ Shinn gritted his teeth furiously as he looked at the Cagalli's new boyfriend and his friends walking past him. The nerve of them to talk about him while he was there! Those three dickheads spoke in a tone that was audible enough for him to hear.

He wondered why he never met that man before. When he and Cagalli were still together, he knew almost everyone that acquainted themselves with her and he perfectly knew that he had not seen him before. Cagalli never even talked about him before.

Could it be that Cagalli kept that blue-haired freak as a secret from him? The thought of Cagalli liking that guy when she was still with him irked him a lot. But he knew that Cagalli wasn't the type of person that could lie about something like that and cheat on him behind his back successively, that was his expertise.

Then Cagalli must have been together with that guy only after they broke up. It was so fast. It wasn't like he was so full of himself, well; maybe he's slightly being one, but, for Cagalli to get over him that quickly? It seemed so impossible. They were together for so many years! So what if her new boyfriend was that good-looking? But still!

Cagalli. He had been thinking of her a lot lately.

But where was she?

When he entered the pastry shop an hour ago, there was no sign of his 'Ca-chan'. But he knew that she was here because her boyfriend showed up. No matter how long he waited, all he saw was Miriallia, who was giving him such a bitchy glare. It also looked like she wanted to give him a blow or two, but was restraining herself by staying a good distance from him. Well, maybe that was reasonable. After all, she was Cagalli's best friend, Cagalli must've told her what he did.

But where was she?

Maybe she was still mad at him and still refused to see him. Cagalli was probably in the staff room, ignoring his presence in her shop. She would often do that when they had petty fights and with the consent of the other employees, he was allowed to go inside and try to apologize and make up with her. He couldn't go in there now, he wasn't the boyfriend now.

Oh well. Then, he would wait until the pastry shop closes. He would wait if he had to, just to talk to his 'Ca-chan'. He wanted to talk to her, just the two of them. He wanted to be clarified.

Just when he was so convinced to stay and wait, his phone beeped.

_1 message received from Stellar._

He sighed momentarily before opening the message.

_From: Stellar_

"_Where are you? Let's meet up and eat lunch together. :D"_

For him, it was a very bad time that Stellar wanted to meet up with him. When he just decided that he would wait for the pastry shop to close…

He knew he couldn't excuse himself from meeting her. She had a jealous-complex and might suspect something if he didn't go to meet her. He had been acting so distant to her these days.

But then he figured that he could come back later. Besides, if he was going to wait, he'd be waiting for a few more hours. The pastry shop wasn't closing anytime soon. He stood up and left a piece of Orb dollar bill and left. The tip that he left wasn't as big as Athrun's, but hey, at least he left them a tip for the very first time.

-o0o-

Miriallia entered the staff room and went straight to Cagalli's office. Even though Cagalli may not show it, Miriallia knew that she was inwardly freaking out. It seemed like Cagalli was pounding her keyboard like it was a piano.

"What the hell is that two-timing asshole doing here?" Miriallia sighed as she pulled a chair and sat down. "Can you imagine how hard it was for me to stop myself from punching him?"

"I don't know either. That's why I didn't go out of the staff room today. I don't want to see him either." Cagalli stopped from typing and looked at her best friend.

"Well he better leave soon, or else, I might explode!" Miriallia pulled her hair out of frustration. The sight of that bastard here in their pastry shop was driving her insane. If Shinn didn't even bother ordering, thus helping them gain more revenue, she would have personally shoved him out of the shop.

"I think it's because he saw me and Athrun last time." Cagalli pondered to herself and realized that maybe that was the reason behind it.

"Saw you where?"

"At the hospital, when we had a baby check-up."

"What was he doing there?" Miriallia asked her, with exasperation still evident in her voice.

"How should I know? And then, he was blabbering crap about how he still cared for me and crap." Cagalli shivered at the memory of Shinn taking a tight hold on her arm and yapping all those lies.

Before they could even continue talking, Shirley came inside the room.

"Cagalli, Athrun and his friends left already, as well as Shinn." She smiled at her paranoid boss. Earlier, Cagalli instructed Shirley to inform her if Shinn already left. That way, she would be able to go out and greet the other regular customers without feeling self-conscious with Shinn watching her every move.

"Thanks Shirley." Cagalli let out a sigh of relief as Shirley returned to greet and serve to customers.

"What other crap did he tell you?" Miriallia asked her, determined not to let go of the subject.

"Nothing else because I wasn't listening to what he was saying anymore!" Now it was Cagalli's turn to pull her hair out of irritation. The more she remembered that encounter with Shinn, the more infuriated she got.

"That's good Cagalli, very good." Miriallia gave her a pat on the shoulder. She would get annoyed if Cagalli listened to that freak-faced liar, but apparently she didn't so she was happy that her best friend wasn't being like an annoying love struck fool that they always see on movies.

"And maybe the fact that Athrun interrupted Shinn while he was forcibly trying to make me face him made him shut up and go away." Instead of irritation, a blush crept on Cagalli's face when she remembered the both of them hugging, in front of Shinn of all people.

"Oooh... Athrun came into the picture huh?" Miriallia gave her best friend a knowing look.

"He did."

"So he became jealous of Shinn or something like that?" She was intrigued to know how Athrun reacted when he saw Cagalli and Shinn together.

"No he didn't." Her reply made Miriallia a tad disappointed.

"Then how did the confrontation between Athrun and that fuck-face go?"

"At first when Shinn didn't want to let go of my arm, Athrun said to him: 'Let go of my princess'-"

"He called you princess? Where did that come from?" Miriallia was confused now. She didn't know that she and Athrun were already calling each other with pet names. It was sweet but at the same time, it was sudden.

"It was just to make Shinn believe that we're a couple so he would just back off and leave." She lied a bit, Athrun always teased her that but then she didn't want Miriallia to go and tease her about it as well.

"Really?"

"Really." She nodded so as to convince Miriallia all the more.

"So did Shinn get jealous?"

"I don't know. But it seemed so convincing that he left us alone." Cagalli deliberately omitted the hugging and crying part.

"Well he should have been jealous! After all he's an idiot to even dump you in the first place!" Then Miriallia realized that it might have offended Cagalli in some sort of way. "Oops. Sorry about that Cagalli."

"It's okay. I don't really care anymore." Cagalli sighed. "Shinn can do whatever he pleases."

"I see…" Miriallia's voice trailed off, she was happy that her best friend was now okay with the whole break-up thing.

"So what about you and Athrun then?" Miriallia decided to change the topic into something more interesting.

"What about me and Athrun?" Cagalli repeated Miriallia's question.

"I mean how are things between the two of you now? You two have been going out a lot recently and you don't even bother inviting me." Miriallia was amused by Cagalli's reaction, she was panicking again, but for a very different reason.

"Wha-what? There's nothing going on between the two of us! What are you talking about?" Cagalli blushed furiously, to Miriallia's amusement.

"Oh really now?" Miriallia teased her. "You didn't even tell me what happened when you _spent_ the night in his mansion!"

"Nothing happened when we were in his house I swear!" Remembering what happened that night, made her even more embarrassed. When Athrun pinned her to the wall, when he carried her to the bed and when they were cuddling all throughout the night because she had a bad dream. "There was nothing!"

"Are you sure?" Miriallia was laughing now. Cagalli wasn't really a person that could lie and convince people at the same time.

"Yes I am!"

"You're not lying?"

"Of course I'm not!"

"Okay…" With the look and the tint of red on Cagalli's face, Miriallia knew that something must have happened, but decided to leave it at that.

-o0o-

"Yes, I'll bring the contract with me tomorrow. Good bye." Athrun turned the receiver off and leaned on his chair.

Tomorrow will be a very busy day for the company. They would be meeting with a potential client. Thinking about it made it even more stressful for Athrun, for the client was hard to please.

He looked at the time. It read 6:45. Cagalli should be closing her shop just about now, so he should also be on his way to fetch her. He closed the folders that he was looking at; he would look through them tomorrow.

"Lunamaria," He called out to his secretary.

"Yes?" Lunamaria appeared in front of his room and went near him.

"Prepare the necessary documents needed for tomorrow's meeting with the clients." He stood up and gave her a folder. "I'll also need two copies of this one."

"Got it." She got the folders from him and he proceeded to the elevator.

"Hey Athrun!" Lunamaria called after him before he entered the elevator.

"What is it?" He held the 'down' button so that the elevator wouldn't close.

"Meyrin's downstairs. She says she wants to talk to you."

"What?"

-o0o-

And there Meyrin was, like Lunamaria had told him. She was waiting for him outside their building. He could tell that she was nervous for she had a habit of biting her fingernails when she was, a habit that he always hated. He wondered why she was here in the first place.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her in the most polite tone that he could muster, but it still turned out to be cold and somehow rude. Well you couldn't blame him, he was finding the 'Forgive me Athrun, I love you' act so cliché and ridiculous. Meyrin was bugging him constantly that it somehow pissed him off.

"Athrun!" Meyrin lit up when she saw him. She gathered up her courage to go near him and hand him her gift. "I baked your favorite chocolate cake."

"_Chocolate?"_ Athrun thought with utmost abhorrence. Of all the things that he hated, he hated chocolate the most. He didn't know why but he just did. Now Meyrin was telling him that chocolate was his favorite? Didn't he ever tell her that he hated chocolate?

Right. He told her once. The two of them were in a fancy restaurant on their first date and he told her that he hated chocolate. But when he looked at her, she was too busy texting with her cell phone, so she may have failed to hear it. Or maybe she heard the word 'chocolate' and then registered in her mind that he was fond of them.

Maybe that was really what she thought as Athrun's favorite, because every Valentine's Day, his birthday, or Christmas, Meyrin never failed to give him something made out of chocolate. At first, he didn't know how to react with the kind gesture and thoughtfulness so he decided accepted her gifts. He even ate it like he really liked it, even though he really wanted to vomit.

Meyrin must have thought that Athrun really liked chocolate and started giving him once in a while, much to his displeasure.

That was another thing that Athrun didn't like about Meyrin, she doesn't listen.

"What's the matter?" Meyrin's voice cut his train of thoughts. "Don't you like it?"

As much as it was rude to decline the gift, it was just as rude to accept it and lead her on. He couldn't imagine eating any more chocolates. He had broken up with Meyrin so why should he be pretending to like her gifts now?

"Meyrin, I'm sorry I can't accept that." He bluntly said, breaking Meyrin's heart in the process.

Instead of being disappointed and crying, Meyrin seemed to look pissed off at Athrun's rejection and started to yell at him. "Why are you still so mad at me? I've been trying so hard to tell you that I want you back! Why won't you accept my apology?" She had enough of Athrun ignoring her like she didn't even become his girlfriend. She hated the fact that her boyfriend was treating her like some stranger now.

Athrun was shocked at Meyrin's outburst, the nerve of her to demand his forgiveness like she was deserving of it. If Meyrin was pissed off, Athrun was getting riled up as well, but he controlled himself from shouting as well.

"Haven't you figured that out for yourself?" Good thing that Athrun wasn't as hot-headed as Yzak was, or else he would have shouted back as well. "Haven't you figured out that I don't want to get back with you anymore?"

"But why?" Meyrin was crying yet again. When they would have fights, Meyrin would always start crying so that she would get Athrun's sympathy and then they would make up. "That guy, he was nothing! I don't love him. He was nothing compared to you Athrun!"

Did Meyrin really think that Athrun was that stupid? He had seen her with _that guy_, dozens of times even after they broke up. Now she tells him that he was _nothing_? She says one thing and does another.

He took a quick glance at his watch. 6:55. He would have to make Cagalli wait, he was sure of that. Meyrin was taking up his time. He really didn't want all this drama and decided to excuse himself from it.

"I have to go." He brought out his car keys and clicked his car open.

"Wait!" She managed to cling onto him. "Is it because of that girl?"

Is it because of Cagalli?

Maybe it was.

But it didn't matter to Meyrin.

When Athrun didn't answer her, she immediately knew that it was. "Athrun, please, I'll do anything. Please just take me back."

But he didn't want to. Not anymore. He didn't want to be in a relationship with Meyrin anymore. It was too tiresome. It was too tiring always tiring to understand what she wanted. Unlike before, he wouldn't be happy any longer. He didn't even know if she could be trusted.

"I'm sorry Meyrin." With one swift move, he removed Meyrin's hold on him. He was that strong. Before she could even attempt to even try and grab onto him on more time, he entered his car and started up the engine, leaving Meyrin behind.

-o0o-

"Hey Miri, you're not going to ride with me today?" Cagalli called after her best friend who was rushing to the door.

"Oh." Miriallia stopped from rushing and turned back to face her. "Not today."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to meet someone." Miriallia told her.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then." Cagalli gave her a light hug, sensing the urge of her friend to leave her behind. And once they bid their goodbyes, off Miriallia went. She really seemed to be in such a hurry. Athrun still wasn't here so she would be waiting for him alone.

Bummer.

Locking the shop, she decided that she would just wait for Athrun to arrive outside.

Not a good decision.

When she saw Shinn standing in front of her, she swore that she wanted to get right back in her shop and lock herself inside her office. What was he doing here yet again? He was being a creepy stalker and Cagalli didn't appreciate that.

"Shinn, what are you doing here? The shop's closed already." She wanted to ask him that question earlier, but didn't dare go out of her room. Now that he was here in front of her, and she really had no escape, she took the chance to.

"Ca-chan, [1] hey." Shinn shyly greeted her. Cagalli was finally talking to him, not the words that he expected but she did, which made him kind of nervous.

"That doesn't answer my question." Cagalli snapped at him. It was rude, she knew. But the 'Ca-chan' pet name was really irritating the heck out of her. She wondered why she felt so light and warm inside when he called her that, back when they were still together. Now it was just some other irritating nickname. "And can you please stop calling me that?"

"I want to talk to you." He finally told her what he wanted.

"About what?"

"About that guy…" Cagalli knew who Shinn was referring to, Athrun.

"What about Athrun?"

"Are you seriously in love with him?" Shinn asked her out of desperation, he really wanted to know.

"Why does that matter to you?" She refrained herself from answering the question.

"But, what about us?" Cagalli was shocked at Shinn's next move. During their last encounter, he had a tight grip on her arm. Now he was holding her hands ever so gently. "What about our relationship? What about those times that we spent together? Don't you love me anymore?"

"We don't have a relationship anymore." Because his hold on her wasn't that strong, Cagalli kept her hand away from where he could reach it. She inwardly wished that Athrun would arrive soon enough. She didn't want to be in this situation any longer, it was too excruciating.

The look on Shinn's eyes was almost pitiful, but she didn't know if she would still be able to trust him. Keeping his one-year affair from her was just unforgivable.

She was that lucky to have her wishes answered almost instantly.

Athrun arrived at Cagalli's pastry shop, fifteen minutes late. With no light illuminating from the shop, he wondered if Cagalli left already. Kira would kill him if he knew of Athrun's tardiness.

But then he saw a shadow nearby the shop. It was Cagalli's, he was one hundred percent sure of that.

Scratch that. He saw two shadows. The other shadow must probably be Miriallia's. Dearka's not riding with them today, lucky for her. She won't be pestered and flirted on.

But then he looked closer, he realized that it wasn't Miriallia's shadow at all.

It was the ex-boyfriend's.

Stress from work. The demands of Meyrin to get back together. Plus seeing him harass Cagalli yet again piled up and drove him of the roof. He didn't know why, but it sent his rage flaring than ever before.

That's it. He was getting mad.

Before he even knew it he was already in between Cagalli and Shinn, pushing Shinn away in the process.

"What was that for?" Shinn scowled at the person that pushed him aside.

"That's for harassing my princess yet again." Athrun protectively wrapped his arm on Cagalli's waist.

"I'm just trying to talk to her!" Shinn gritted his teeth in frustration, it seemed like every time he wanted to talk to Cagalli, he would enter the picture.

"Did you even ask her if she wanted to talk to you?" His tone of his voice frightened both Cagalli and Shinn.

"Athrun…" Cagalli felt that Athrun seriously wanted to punch Shinn. "Let's go."

With the worried look on Cagalli's face, Athrun decided that it was best to let it go and gave her a warm smile. "Sure." The two of them started to walk away from Shinn.

"Cagalli wait!" Shinn tried to protest. They were ignoring him for the second time and Shinn didn't really appreciate that.

"Listen here," Athrun turned to face Shinn one more time. "If something happens to Cagalli and my baby because of the nuisance you're causing, I swear, I'll hunt you down to wherever you're hiding at and rip your heart out with my bare hands." The cold glare on his emerald eyes made Shinn back off a bit.

Cagalli's eyes widened at what Athrun had just said. The sex-machine was actually threatening Shinn! She never saw that murderous and cannibal side of him before, and it was somehow terrified her. Not to mention that he also indirectly said that she was pregnant.

There were a few moments of silence before Shinn regained his composure and blabbered out. "What baby is he talking about?" He was looking at Cagalli all the while.

He prayed that it wasn't what he thought of.

But then it was.

"Cagalli's pregnant; we're going to have a baby. Suck on that." Athrun got a hold of Cagalli's hand and led her to the car, leaving Shinn alone in the dark pastry shop, utterly speechless.

-o0o-

"Why are you in such a bad mood today Athrun?" Cagalli asked him when they were inside the car.

"Hmm… Maybe it's not my day today." Athrun wasn't in a bad mood anymore; in fact he seemed to be perfectly fine now.

"Shinn actually got scared of you. Wow." She said in astonishment.

"_Wimp."_ Athrun inwardly thought.

"Are you actually siding with him, Double P?" Athrun pouted in a childish manner. "After what I did to save you?"

"Of course not!" Cagalli's cheeks were tinted red from embarrassment.

"So you're siding with me? I'm so touched." Athrun grinned at her.

"Let's go get ice cream!" Cagalli ignored Athrun's last sentence. "I want to eat a chocolate ice cream."

"Okay then, let's drive thru Quackdonalds then." Athrun made a turn to the Quackdonalds that was nearby.

"One chocolate ice cream, one vanilla ice cream as well." Cagalli cheerfully said to the waiter taking their orders.

"You got me one too?"

"Yep." Cagalli grinned at him. "Don't you want one?"

"No I do." Athrun smiled at her.

As they were getting their orders, Athrun unconsciously mused to himself the confrontation that he and Meyrin had a while ago.

"_Is it because of that girl?"_

Maybe it was.

Maybe because she listens.

Maybe because she knows that he didn't like chocolate.

-o0o-

End of Chapter 16! Feedback is very much appreciated! :)

Just a quick survey, what do you guys want to happen in the next chapter? :D

Thank you to chicken, for helping me write this chapter yet again! Cluck cluck cluck I so love you. Thank you to uchihasaime as well for the ideas that you gave me, I love you too! :)

Additional Notes:

[1] Every time I type that word, I swear I shiver in disgust. I really can't imagine the Shinn in Destiny to be calling her such.


	17. Secret Affairs and Paybacks

A/N: Hello it's me! Sorry for the late update yet again, but yeah (its school kill me now), at least chapter 17 is here! :D

Disclaimer: Gundam Seed/Destiny is owned by Sunrise, not by me.

Chapter 17: Secret Affairs and Paybacks

-o0o-

Athrun's cannibalistic threat along with the stern murderous-intent on his emerald eyes must have been so petrifying that it had been a month and there were no traces of Shinn trying to pester Cagalli into having a useless 'talk'. No texts, no calls, no e-mails, no long visits to the pastry shop, no accidental encounters, nothing. When they had that encounter in the hospital, he continuously tried to contact her and frequented her pastry shop, much to Miriallia's resentment. Now, it seemed like he vanished into thin air. He may have migrated out of Orb for all she knew.

Or rather, Shinn was just utterly pissed that she was already pregnant and he was completely oblivious of it, if only Athrun didn't blurt it out so suddenly. Of course, Shinn was a guy. Guys have issues with their egos, especially him. Although he tried to deny it, he was an arrogant guy himself. Finding out that his ex-girlfriend was already 'dating' another guy. And he might have the impression that she also cheated on him. Oh please. She begged to differ. She wasn't like him.

"Earth to Cagalli. Hello. Double P." Athrun called out to her, along with the constant snapping of his fingers, Cagalli immediately turned to look at him.

"What?" She scowled at the sex-machine seated in front of him. It seemed unreasonable to do so because he wasn't doing anything wrong. In fact, he was being such a nice guy by treating her and Miriallia out to eat on a Friday night. But she did anyway for he was interrupting her trail of thoughts.

"Spacing out is bad." She saw him shake his head and mouth a 'tsk tsk'. "You'll lose brain cells if you keep on staring into space." [1]

"Is that even a fact? Or are you just making that up?" Cagalli arched her eyebrow to emphasize that she didn't believe that spacing out would lead to a loss in brain cells. If it really did, then she should have run out of brain cells a long time ago because she does that often.

"I think that may be true." Miriallia who was seated beside her, agreed. "I heard that from someone ages ago…"

"You should eat Double P! You should eat a lot!" Athrun suggested when their orders had arrived. He put one plate in front of her so she could start eating already. "Eat so you won't space out anymore."

"Maybe I should." The grumble on her stomach didn't allow her to refuse. She was hungry alright, plus the food seemed pretty enticing. The chicken on her plate seemed to be calling out her name. It was like: _"Cluck! Cluck! Eat me Cagalli! I'm delicious! Eat me! Cluck! Cluck! _She shyly picked up her fork and knife to carefully slice the chicken into bits and put a piece onto her mouth, just to taste it. Her eyes widening in surprise, the food was pretty damn good. And before she knew it, her spoon plunged into the plate and went straight to her mouth. A spoonful was followed by another and another.

When Cagalli wasn't talking to the both of them, because she was too immersed into devouring the whole plate, Miriallia was getting bored of the silence and decided to talk to Athrun.

"By the way Athrun, your sister is such a cutie pie." She started to talk and notice that her best friend behind her choked. Well, it was a good thing that there was already a glass of water beside her that she could reach.

"Sister?" Athrun stopped in his tracks and thought about what Miriallia was talking about. He had no sister. He was an only child. He was certain of that.

"Yes! Your sister!" Miriallia nodded enthusiastically, she was a sucker for cute little kids. "The one in the pink tutu dress! I saw her picture in Cagalli's desk and she looks very much like you."

Pink.

Tutu.

Dress.

Picture.

Oh no they didn't.

But they did.

Before Athrun could ask her for the second time what she was talking about, he realized that Miriallia didn't see any picture of his sister. He didn't have one for crying out loud! The picture that Miriallia saw was him in that horrible girly tutu dress! That would mean that his mom gave Cagalli a photo of him, secretly.

He gave Cagalli a sly look, but she pretended to never have seen it and continued eating…_ nervously_. She had been gulping more often than not. She had some explaining to do, but he would deal with her later.

"Yes, my sister…" Athrun's voice trailed off. He immediately thought of a lie. There was no way in hell that he'd let other people would know about his pink and girly childhood that he was so abhorred with. "That was years ago, she's a teenager now. Enjoying her school, friends, malls, shopping and boys."

"Oh I see…" Miriallia believed his flawless lie and started to eat as well.

Cagalli took a quick glance at Athrun, who was actually smirking. She thought that he would be mad at her. He even mouthed words that were barely audible, but she understood it completely.

"_Payback later."_

The wink that he added to that also made Cagalli more anxious. What could the sex machine have under his sleeve now?

-o0o-

Moments later, the plate of overflowing food that was served by the waiter was replaced by empty plates. They were that hungry.

"You guys, I'll go to the washroom first." Miriallia stood up, carrying her bag with her.

Sensing the vile and perverted actions that Athrun may do when the two of them were left alone made her panic. She signaled Miriallia to just stay with her by mouthing a 'Don't go' but then she was too busy looking at her phone to even notice.

When Miriallia was out of sight, Cagalli mentally slapped herself. She should have just gone with her to the bathroom and then come back together so Athrun wouldn't have the chance to interrogate her about the picture. Maybe she was that flustered to even think of that.

She tried everything that she could just so she would appear to look busy, so that Athrun wouldn't talk to her about the tutu picture that she got from Leonore. Casually checking her cell phone and pretending to text was not working. She kept pressing the same button over and over again. She opened her bag and pretended to look for something wasn't working either. It just appeared that she was messing her bag.

As desperate as it seemed to be, she was now humming an unknown tune and drumming her fingers on the table nervously all the while. But Athrun still bore his eyes onto her, making her more conscious than ever.

She cursed herself for leaving that picture on her desk. She should have just hidden it inside her drawers. Curse her need to look at it every single time she felt the need to laugh.

"Apparently I'm not an only child, I have a younger sister. Is that right?" Athrun's voice made her shiver.

He didn't sound mad or anything, but Cagalli didn't want to push it, knowing the extent of Athrun's rage. She was inwardly thinking of how to respond to him.

"_Quick! Spawn up a lie or an excuse!"_ She heard her inner self shouting at her.

An excuse? But what?

Oh Miri.

"What's taking Miri so long?" She looked around the restaurant nervously. It wasn't the most believable excuse, but she had to change the topic one way or another. It was true alright; Miriallia wasn't back from the restroom yet.

"You're right. She's been long gone." Athrun agreed, but he would still get his payback later. He gave the waiter his platinum credit card and continued, "Maybe she's already taking a shower."

"Pervert."

Athrun laughed off the Cagalli's last word and leaned comfortably on the couch. He also looked around the restaurant and had no luck in spotting Miriallia. He took a good look of the restroom and saw a random girl exit out of it. So Miriallia wasn't there. But where was she? Maybe she had left already and didn't tell the two of them about it.

"But you know," Cagalli started to share. "These days, Miri's always going off somewhere and doesn't even tell me about it. I wonder what she could be possibly hiding from me."

"Oh, maybe that's why she doesn't ride with us on the way home anymore."

"Where is she?" Cagalli took a glance at her watch and sighed in defeat.

Just when the waiter returned Athrun's credit card along with the receipt and a very polite 'thank you sir, here's your change', he saw a streak of blonde hair passing by the restaurant.

It wasn't just a blonde streak; there was also a bit of tan color as well.

"Cagalli, I think I might know why Miriallia's taking _too_ long." He first put a crisp dollar bill on the table before standing up.

"What where?" Her hand was pulled by Athrun so she stood up and let herself be dragged along wherever he was going.

"Just wait and see." He led her outside the restaurant.

She was led to a dark alley behind the restaurant. The rhythm in her chest started to take a faster beat. In movies that she watched, this was where some scary incidents happen, like sexual harassments, robberies, smuggling, stabbing a person to death, drug trafficking and the sort.

She was starting to get terrified about what Athrun might do to her. Is this what he meant of 'payback'? She didn't mean to leave that tutu photo on her desk unattended for Pete's sake!

Sensing the agitation of Cagalli beside her, he let go of his hold on her hand and whispered. "I'm not going to punish you, _yet._" He duly emphasized the last word. "I just want to show you something.

Before she could even respond, she heard noises from the dark corner of the alleyway. It was a voice. Then there was another low voice. Correction, she heard _two_ voices from the dark corner of the alleyway.

"I have to get back soon, Cagalli and Athrun might be looking for me already. It's been ages ago that I told them that I would be going to the restroom."

"Just a little while longer. I'm sure Zala can wait for a bit. He has Cagalli to keep him company."

"This is because you arrived late! I should really be getting back!"

"Fine. Just one more kiss." The shadow leaned closer to other.

The subtle glow of the cars passing along the streets illuminated the black shapes of the couple making out, though it wasn't really needed as Athrun and Cagalli already knew who they were.

And there Miriallia was, making out with Dearka in the dark alleyway. So Athrun wasn't… Fine, Cagalli was being too paranoid about him again.

But since when did these two get together? Cagalli thought that Miriallia had no interest in Dearka.

When they weren't taking their hands off of each other, Cagalli knew she had to cut in or else they would be taking the whole night on this _one kiss_.

"So the dark alleyway is the washroom Miri?" Her voice baffled the couple that was making out.

"Cagalli! I can explain." Miriallia instantly pushed Dearka away from her. She stuttered for words, but none came.

"Me and Athrun thought that you were already taking a shower in the washroom, but no… You're having a 'secret affair' with Dearka and you didn't even bother to tell your best friend! That's why you're always disappearing without any word recently!"

"Well, it's not that-"

"Way to go Elsman." Athrun gave Dearka a knowing look along with a smirk. With Dearka's insistent attitude, he finally got to score with Cagalli's stubborn best friend who seemed to show a minuscule interest in him. Looks like Dearka's motto: _"Try and try until the girl gives in and makes out with you"_ works.

"Zala! This isn't what it looks like!" Dearka tried to deny it, even though they were already caught red-handed.

"Whatever you say…" He chuckled as he pulled Cagalli along with him. "You two lovebirds continue what you were doing before we got here, we'll just get going and leave you two alone."

"Zala!"

"You can take Miriallia home since you got your car fixed."

"Wha-" Cagalli wasn't able to interrogate Miriallia about what happened and how she ended up seeing Dearka secretly as Athrun already got her hand. Before she knew it, they were already in front of his car.

"I didn't get to ask Miriallia!" Cagalli pouted in a childish manner and refused to get inside Athrun's car.

"Like I said a while ago, it's better to leave those two alone first. You can ask Miriallia tomorrow." Athrun chortled as he opened his car. "Get inside please."

Cagalli didn't try to protest even though she wanted to. Maybe Athrun was right. She would ask Miriallia first thing in the morning.

-o0o-

"But seriously, I can't believe that Miriallia was already seeing Dearka." Cagalli said disbelievingly as the red glow of the stoplight went on. They were still inside Athrun's car, driving their way home.

"I knew it would happen sooner or later."

"What would?"

"That Miriallia would finally give in to Dearka's constant flirting."

"Whaaat?" Cagalli yelled in shock. "Don't tell me your perverted friend is just toying around with her?"

"Calm down Cagalli." Athrun assured her. "Dearka likes her."

"How can you tell? Didn't you say that Dearka always flirts with other girls?"

"If Dearka was only toying with Miriallia, then he wouldn't waste his time and effort trying to make her like him as well. Trust me, Dearka's like that when he's really into someone."

"Fine." Cagalli sighed in defeat, but then she changed her tone into a more menacing one. "But I swear if that Dearka tries to play with Miriallia's feelings-"

"I'll be the one who'd break his bones for you. No need to worry." He guaranteed her, just so she would stop freaking out.

When the light turned green, instead of turning right like he usually does, he turned left, which was the opposite of where Cagalli's home was.

"Are you still going to pass by a convenient store to buy something?" Cagalli asked him when he turned left.

"No." He nonchalantly answered her.

"But my house is that way." She pointed her index finger to the other direction.

"I know."

"Gas?" She looked at the gas meter, it was full.

"No."

"Then what? Why did you turn left?" Cagalli tried to hide her irritation. Where was Athrun still planning to go in this time of night?

"I'm headed home of course." True enough, turning left was the route to where Athrun's condo unit was. [2]

"Then what about me?" Her index finger was now pointed to herself, which Athrun found cute.

"Didn't I say a while ago that I'd get my payback?" He playfully answered her. "This is payback."

"Then if you won't take me home, I'll take the train home." She clutched onto her bag. "You can drop me off here."

"Nope, I'm not letting you take the train. Your overprotective brother will definitely murder me."

"Then I'll take a cab home."

"Who said anything about you going back to your house?" He teased her all the more. "You're going home alright, _with me_."

"But!" Cagalli's face turned beet red at Athrun's words.

"But what?" Athrun asked her the same question. "Kira's on a business trip until Monday is he not?"

"He is."

"So there, you're staying at my place." He gave her a smug smile to make the decision final.

"But what about my clothes?" Cagalli realized that she didn't bring any clothes with her at all. "We should definitely go back home!"

"Don't worry, mother really likes you to the extent that she bought you tons of those frilly night gowns and left it at my place." He paused for a moment before continuing. "And I told you a while ago right, that I would get my payback."

-o0o-

True enough, there were a number of pink frilly night gowns that she dreaded of. Athrun had placed them neatly on the bed so that Cagalli could choose after she was done in the shower. But Cagalli refused to wear even a single one. She couldn't stand being in those things, it made her want to scratch herself all over.

She walked over to Athrun's closet and decided that she would just wear one of his clothes. Maybe he wouldn't mind. Unlike the typical messy closet that a guy would have, his was pretty organized. She got the grey shirt that was on top of the pile and put it on. It felt so much comfortable on her. Unlike those night gowns, his shirt didn't cling onto her skin and did otherwise.

It was also long that it covered her underwear. She even contemplated if she needed to wear any shorts underneath, but she couldn't find anything in Athrun's close that would fit her.

After running the brush through her blonde hair, she went out of Athrun's bedroom and went to the living room. _So this is where the sex machine watches television._ She wondered why she didn't notice this room when she first went in here. Maybe she was too distracted by Athrun's kisses. But then again she didn't notice it when she was storming out of the place. Maybe she was that in a hurry to get home.

She sat comfortably in the couch; it was as cozy as the couches in the Zala Mansion. She would sleep here, she figured. Athrun couldn't stop her now. If he wanted her to stay at his condo, then he'd let her sleep where she wanted. And besides, being inside Athrun's bedroom only reminded her of what they had done during that night.

"_Please remove my dress."_ And so the fond memories of that lust-filled night started to resurface.

"Get out of my head!" She pulled her hair in irritation, growling at herself in the process. She hugged her knees and buried her face so as to forget but that really wasn't helping at all.

"Do I have to carry you back to the bedroom again?" She looked up and saw Athrun standing in front of her, wearing only a bathrobe.

"Uhm, no?" Her reply didn't really convince Athrun into letting her sleep in the comfortable couch. Without any further ado, she was carried by Athrun back to the bedroom.

"Why aren't you wearing one of those night gowns?" Athrun asked her when he gently laid her down the bed.

She bolted up and stretched the shirt downwards so it could cover the fact that she had only her panties underneath.

"You don't mind if I wear these, do you? I don't feel comfortable when wearing those night gowns." She confessed shyly.

"Of course not." He laughed.

"Okay then…" She looked down and didn't want her eyes to even catch Athrun's emerald ones.

"Let me guess, you have no underwear under that?"

"S-s-shut up!" She stuttered.

"Why are you so anxious?" Athrun asked her when he noticed that she was fidgeting uncomfortably on the bed.

"I'm not!" She retorted, but her blushing face proved otherwise.

"Yes you are."

"I swear I'm not."

"You already went to my condo once before so why are you so nervous?" He smirked at her knowingly.

"I told you I'm not!"

"You slept beside me twice already am I right?"

"I did!"

"So why are you still so nervous?"

"I'm not!"

"Is it because you're here on same bed that we once had sex on?" He asked her knowingly, drawing more blood onto her face.

Bingo.

That was it.

He sat alongside her and cupped her face. "Don't worry Double P, I changed the sheets and I swear I won't violate you this time.

The look on his eyes, a warm and gentle look rather than the usual devious ones, somehow convinced Cagalli that he wasn't going to do anything perverted to her. At least the sex machine had some affability to pregnant women.

Then the surprising thing happened.

Athrun kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight Cagalli." He whispered to her and started to walk away.

At first she thought that he was only going to turn off the lights but when he was exiting the room, she couldn't help but ask him.

"Where are you going?"

"To sleep." He stifled out a yawn, but was still heading his way out of the room.

"In the couch?" She asked disbelievingly, it seemed like they were going to have a fight over the couch again.

"Yes." He nodded, while containing himself from letting out another yawn. "And no you can't sleep on the couch." He already read her mind before she could even bring the issue of who gets to sleep in the couch.

"But…" Cagalli wanted to say something like: _'Why would you sleep on the couch when you have this warm and cozy bed? It makes me feel bad thinking that it's because of me…'_, but she hesitated to say it out loud.

"But what?" He paused and bore his gaze onto the blonde that was on his bed.

"Nothing…" Cagalli decided to just shut up.

"You don't want me to sleep in the couch do you?" He teased her yet again and walked back to the bed. "You want me to sleep with you is that right?"

"Of course not!" Cagalli threw a pillow at his face which he dodged effortlessly. "You go sleep on the couch then!"

"Naaah." He laid down the bed. "Since you made a special request, I've changed my mind. I think I'll just sleep here instead." He closed his eyes and snuggled comfortably next to where Cagalli was sitting.

"Well then I'll go sleep on the-" She was pulled down to the bed with Athrun before she could even finish her sentence. It sent her blushing beet red but she couldn't move because Athrun wrapped his leg around her fragile body.

"No sleeping on the couch." His voice was commanding, but still very gentle. "I want to hug the baby."

"Fine." She positioned herself in a way that her back would be leaning on Athrun's chest, like the time they were in the Zala household.

They stayed in that position for a long time. Neither one of time wanted to speak. Cagalli didn't want to because she was too worried if Athrun would do anything perverted. Athrun didn't talk because he was feeling too sleepy; he had gone through a very long day.

"Looks like I got my payback." Athrun whispered into Cagalli's ears. She felt tense a bit because she felt his hot breath tickling the skin of her ear. "And why aren't you wearing anything underneath my shirt?"

"Stop that!" Cagalli slapped his hand. "Of course I'm wearing my underwear!"

"What color?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"Polka dots or lace?"

"Perverted sex-machine."

"I thought it was 'ridiculously handsome sex-machine'?"

"Good night!"

-o0o-

"_BUZZ!"_

Cagalli awoke to the sound of the constant ringing of Athrun's doorbell. Curse the person whoever he/she. She was having a comfortable sleep with a very nice dream; she was eating chocolate ice cream with sprinkles and syrup on top. But alas the irritating buzz snapped her out of her blissful trance.

"Athrun… the door…" She turned to pat the man beside him but he was nowhere to be found. She sat up and called out to him. "Athrun!"

"What?" The voice came from the shower room.

"Someone's ringing the doorbell."

"I think that's the breakfast takeout I ordered for the both of us…" He answered, still inside the bathroom. "Can you get it?"

"Okay." She stretched her body and went towards the door.

-o0o-

Lunamaria smoothed her skirt one last time. She also ran her fingers over her hair even if she already blow-dried and ironed her hair for half an hour earlier. Of course it was Athrun Zala's condo unit. And even though Athrun still didn't need the document until Monday, she volunteered to deliver it straight to his house so she could get a glimpse of his house. She knew she had to look presentable and pretty in front of her boss that she liked even though he was dating her sister.

Maybe if she was lucky enough, Athrun would even invite her inside his condo unit! It would be her lucky day. She had no reason to worry about Meyrin because they broke up three months ago and Athrun still didn't want to get back with her. Oh well, Meyrin's loss is her gain.

She pressed the doorbell one more time. Maybe Athrun was still asleep. She was excited to know what her Athrun looked like even when he just got out of bed. Will he be topless? And will he still look goddamn sexy with his messy hair?

When the doorknob started to turn, she suddenly got so nervous. Maybe she should have worn a cute dress? Or she should have applied eyeliner on? She wanted to see herself in the mirror!

"Yes?" A blonde hair peered over the door. It certainly wasn't Athrun's. And the tone of the voice was certainly not Athrun's; it wasn't the sexy type of voice that she had known.

She surprised to see a girl answering the door. Maybe she just knocked on the wrong unit?

"Uhmm… I must have gotten the wrong address." She muttered to herself and when the blonde was still looking at her, Lunamaria started to speak. "Do you know where Athrun Zala's unit is?"

"This is Athrun Zala's unit." The girl answered shyly. "Do you need something?"

With those two simple sentences, Luna felt like the world was crashing down on her. She thought that she finally had a chance at being Athrun's girlfriend and now she sees another girl that looks like a boy, inside his unit. With her disheveled hair, it seemed that something happened between them last night.

She couldn't help but feel bitchy and jealous about what she was seeing. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" It came out as rude as it could possibly sound but Luna didn't care, she was still too shocked and mad.

"That's a question that I'd like to ask you myself." The blonde's tone changed from kind to impolite as well. It seemed that the girl didn't want to go down without a fight.

"Who's at the door Cagalli?" Athrun's voice was finally heard. Lunamaria gulped nervously when she saw Athrun, wearing only a bathroom. He came fresh out of the shower.

"I don't know. But it's not the breakfast takeout" 'Cagalli' – the name of the blonde, answered him. Athrun opened the door a lot more and revealed that Cagalli only wearing a lose shirt, that looked like Athrun's. She must have just put it on her in a hurry to answer the door.

"Lunamaria, what are you doing here?" Athrun asked her.

"Who is she?" She asked him, praying that he would say that she wasn't affiliated with him at all, although it seemed to be impossible because Cagalli's look was an after-sex look.

"That doesn't concern you in any way Miss Hawke." Athrun spoke in a formal tone that disappointed Luna. "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"I brought the documents that you needed for Monday." She blushed as she handed the folder to him.

Instead of smiling at her and saying 'Thanks a lot! You're a lifesaver!' Athrun even questioned her. "But I don't need these until Monday."

"I just wanted to deliver it to you earlier." She grinned, in hope that Athrun would feel gratuitous about what she had done.

"Okay." He took the folders from her. "I'll see you on Monday, don't be late." Those were Athrun's last words before slamming the door in her face.

She went inside the elevator, feeling disheartened like never before. She expected Athrun to greet her with a friendlier tone, offering her to go inside his condo and dine breakfast with him. But no, she was greeted with Athrun and the 'Cagalli' blonde that looked like they had the time of their lives last night. The mere sight of them felt like something was pounding her heart into tiny ashes.

Meyrin had to know of this.

Maybe Athrun was also cheating on her. Or maybe Athrun was just that appealing that girls flock to him without him exerting to much effort. This girl was probably some random girl that Athrun met at the bar. She was sure of that. That girl is just not good for Ahrun.

Meyrin had to know of this secret affair of his ex-boyfriend. If Luna informed her, her sister might just start to work on fixing their relationship.

She'd rather have Athrun back with Meyrin again. It would just be easy to seduce him if he was within her reach.

-o0o-

Seductive Athrun is hot. 3 Enough said.

I swear if Athrun was a real person, well it would be kinda weird because of his blue hair, but other than that it would be… 3

Review! It is very much appreciated! :)

Additional Notes:

[1] I'm not really sure if this is scientifically proven, but when I space out often times, a certain block mate of mine would say that I'd lose my brain cells.

[2] In the first chapter, I remembered mentioning Athrun's house as a flat… Well I changed my mind. It'll be a condo. Considering that they took the elevator to his unit during the first chapter.


	18. 29th of October

A/N: Hello again everybody! Here's a new chapter!

I decided to post the timeline for this fic because I'm skipping a month (September). So Cagalli is currently five months pregnant. Just scroll down this timeline for the 18th chapter. :D

**June:**

First Week: Chapter 1 - 5

Second Week: Chapter 6 - 10

Third Week: Chapter 11 – 13

Fourth Week: Chapter 14

**July:**

First Week: Chapter 15

Second Week: Chapter 16

**August:**

Second Week: Chapter 17

**September:**

**October:**

Last Week: Chapter 18

Anyway, back to the fic!

Disclaimer: Gundam Seed/Destiny doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Sunrise.

Chapter 18: 29th of October

-o0o-

It was a breezy morning in Orb; the clouds covered the scorching rays of the sun. The chilly wind blew past the city. The birds were chirping a cheerful tone. Only a few cars drove and made honking noises. It would have been a very nice morning for Athrun to sleep in, but here he was in their office, working his ass off like it was a weekday.

"Athrun, here's the report on our performance last month." Lunamaria appeared in his office and handed him a folder.

"Leave it on the desk and I'll look through that later." He answered his secretary nonchalantly.

"Do you need help with anything else?"

"That's all. You can go now." There wasn't any reason to keep Lunamaria in the office for the whole day anyway.

Athrun Zala continued to type away in his computer. It was Saturday and the work wasn't due until next week, but still, he knew he needed to finish those by the end of the day. Cagalli has an appointment with Doctor Murrue next week, and his presence physically and mentally was needed, or Doctor Murrue would yell at him again by being too distracted by work.

He even rejected Dearka's invite to drink with him and Yzak last night. Dearka said he was celebrating something but he failed to hear what it was. It was probably to celebrate the second month of him and Miriallia together. But seriously, if it was for that reason, then he should be spending it with Miriallia then, having a nice romantic dinner together rather than drinking with him and Yzak. If he agreed, then his head would be throbbing in the morning, prohibiting him from doing work.

His eyes would have still been glued to the screen of his laptop if only his cell phone didn't ring.

Athrun stopped in his tracks to look at who was calling. It was his mother.

"Hello mother." He greeted her and inwardly wondered why she was calling at a time like this.

"Athrun honey!" Leonore's zealous voice chimed in. "I'm surprised that you're up this early on a Saturday morning! I want to know what your plans with Cagalli for today is! Tell me! I'm very excited to know!"

"I didn't really make any plans with Cagalli today…" Athrun thought about it, but he would be staying in his office the whole day.

"What? Are you serious about that son?" Leonore sounded so horrified. "But why? Is Cagalli not free today?"

"She isn't. She told me that she would be going to the mall with her brother today." He remembered what Cagalli told her in the car last night. Mister Number Three was getting incredibly jealous that they were spending a lot of time together so he wanted to bond with her sister.

"Oh I see…" She sounded so disappointed then went back to enthusiastic tone. "Then invite her out for dinner instead! Go and reserve a table in a very romantic restaurant okay?"

"I'll try and call." Athrun told her and wondered what it was for. "Are you and father joining us?"

A light chuckle was heard from the other line. "Honey! Of course not!"

Athrun was getting confused. Why was his mother bugging him to have dinner with Cagalli? Before he could even ask his mother, Leonore continued to talk. "We wouldn't want to ruin the lovey-dovey atmosphere that you two would be having on your birthday!"

Oh right. He wanted to slap himself in the face.

He completely forgot about his birthday, for the nth time.

Yesterday, when they were having a meeting, he remembered an employee saying: "_As of today, October 28, the analysis of the financial projection of ZAFT…" _Why oh why did October 28 not ring a bell? Why didn't it remind him that it was his birthday the day after?

Then again, why didn't the month of October remind him about it?

"Athrun honey?" Leonore made him snap out of his thoughts. "Don't tell me you forgot about your birthday, _again_." She put emphasis on her last word.

When Athrun wasn't answering, Leonore let out a loud huff. "I can't believe you always forget about it! It's supposed to be the day that you're always supposed to remember! Well plus anniversaries! You can't forget those either!" She scolded him. Back in the day, when Athrun was still living with them, she would always surprise him in the morning with a gift and confusion would always be plastered in his face.

"I'm sorry mother." He apologized. "I try to remember it but I always forget to remember."

"Honey, you remember everything, but your birthday!" There was no hiding that Leonore was upset and let out a sigh of disbelief. "Anyway, since I reminded you, invite her out to dinner okay? Father says so as well."

"Yes mother, I'll try to ask her." He agreed to it anyway, even though he might not even ask her. He might be here in his office until the evening.

"That's good to know then!" Leonore's voice went back to a happy tone. "Happy Birthday Dear! I love you!"

"Thanks mother. I love you too."

"Bye honey!"

"Bye."

Athrun also freed out a sigh. Honestly, his mother was right. He remembered everything but his birthday. He didn't know why it was always like that, but it was.

When he was still a kid, his parents and friends would always succeed in launching him a surprise birthday party because he always forgot when his birthday was. Or when his mom would ask him what he wanted for his birthday on the day itself, he would answer her, _"But my birthday's months away."_ Then her mother would laugh at him and tell him that he forgot yet again.

Meyrin also helped him remember his birthday. Back when they were still together, she would be reminding him to celebrate it with her, days before. She would also ask him what gift he would like, but then cook him something with chocolate in it. Then she would text him that she was so excited more often that not.

So Dearka wasn't inviting him to drink to celebrate his 'two-monthsary', as he liked to say even though it sounded plain idiotic, with Miriallia. He was inviting him for the reason that it was his birthday. So that was why Dearka and Yzak said that it was their treat and Athrun need not pay a cent. That was why the drinking session was 'postponed', when Athrun said that he couldn't go, much to the fury of Yzak. He knew that Yzak wanted to drink and let loose, the week was stressful for all of them.

Now that his mother reminded him that October 29 is his birthday, he now wanted to have fun and celebrate it. He had been preoccupied all week and it would be nice to spend his birthday doing something that he wanted. But the question was, who would he spend it with?

Cagalli… was out with his brother and he couldn't protest. Sore loser number three wouldn't allow him to spend time with Cagalli just because it was his birthday. He then thought how wrong it was to infuriate Cagalli's brother in the first place.

His parents… were forcing him to invite Cagalli to a romantic dinner, so they WILL not go on a dinner with him. He was one hundred percent sure of that.

His friends… were just going to drink and get wasted. Since he was one of the few people in the world that don't get drunk no matter how much he would drink, he would be the one controlling his friends from creating a riot or pulling them from making out with random girls. Not to mention that Athrun would be the one to drive them home, because they would be so drunk so even stand up. Nope, he didn't want to spend his birthday being a chauffeur.

Frankly, he wanted to celebrate it with Cagalli, but since Sore Loser Number Three beat him to it, then he'd probably be spending it alone. He had to give credits to Kira, because it would be the first time that he won against him.

Watching basketball in his house with a gallon of vanilla ice cream did seem like something that he wanted, although he admitted that he would have a lot more fun if Cagalli were with him.

After that, when he continued with his work, he wondered why he first thought of Cagalli and why he wanted to spend his twenty-seventh year alive with her…

-o0o-

"That dress looks nice on you Cagalli! You should buy that!" Lacus clapped her hands in excitement. They were currently in the fitting room in one of the shops at the mall. Because Cagalli's tummy was getting bigger, she asked Kira if they could take Cagalli shopping for dresses, much to her liking. She always thought that Cagalli looked cute in a dress, but the blonde refused to wear one. Now she would be wearing dresses, whether she liked it or not.

"But Lacus!" Cagalli covered her bare shoulders and tried to pull down the skirt. She felt too embarrassed to even look at herself. The last time that she wore those horrid things was when Shinn dumped her; she hasn't been wearing a dress since then. It felt so weird putting one after a long while. "I don't want to wear this one! This is so girly! And why does it have to be so flowery?"

"Well, what about this one then?" Lacus was holding a pink dress with ruffles which horrified Cagalli even more. "This doesn't have any flowers."

"I don't want to wear that one either!" Cagalli pouted. She tried to reason that she wouldn't wear jeans anymore, just sweatpants. But clearly, Lacus was having fun in dressing her up with these uncanny and revolting garments that she called dresses! "Can't I just wearing jogging pants or sweatpants instead?"

"Absolutely not." Lacus had a smile across her face but there was a tiny hint of hostility that somehow gave Cagalli the chills. She knew that Lacus had some sadistic nature within her. What Lacus wants, Lacus gets. "And besides, dresses will make you look so cute!"

"Er… Alright." There was no use in arguing with Lacus. Lacus would win one way or another.

"Really? That's great! I'm so happy that I get to see you wearing cute dresses!" She was smiling ever so vibrantly that Cagalli felt bad in burning the dresses into ashes right then and there. "Why don't you show Kira how you look?" Lacus gave her a light shove out of the fitting room.

True enough Kira wanted to see how Cagalli looked; the two of them have been taking forever in the fitting room. Kira was seated outside the fitting room and patiently waited for them to finish.

"Kira!" Lacus called out to him as she went out the fitting room. "Look at Cagalli! She looks so pretty!"

"Where?" Kira saw no Cagalli in sight.

"Cagalli come out!" Lacus called to her. "Don't be shy, you look pretty!"

Then when Cagalli went out of the fitting room, Kira swore that he felt his jaw drop. He knew that this wasn't the first time that she was in a dress but still…

HIS SISTER WAS IN A FREAKING DRESS!

"Cagalli…" He swallowed. "You're… you're…" Kira stuttered for words. His sister was in a flowery dress that Lacus picked for her.

"I'm?" Cagalli was feeling anxious about what Kira had to say. Was he going to say that she was pretty? Cute?

"You're a girl." Those were the words that came out of his mouth, not exactly the words that Cagalli had expected. And it didn't seem like a compliment…

She gripped her fists tight and tried to control herself from yelling. Kira's comments were harsh, but this was over the line. But how could she not? It was like Kira recognized her as his little brother. It made her mad, really mad.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She tried to advance towards Kira if only Lacus didn't hold her back.

"No that's not what I meant!" Kira backed away from his infuriated sister.

"Then what?" Cagalli really wanted to strangle him, but waited for his explanation. He may just have been too stunned for words.

"What I meant to say was, 'you look like a girl'." Kira's eyes then widened at the realization that he made another foul comment to his already enraged sister.

"That implies the same thing you jackass!" Cagalli succeeded to get out of Lacus' hold and give her brother a punch on the shoulder, mainly because Lacus wasn't that strong to hold her back in the first place and also because Cagalli was getting furious at Kira's snide remarks. [1]

"That hurts!" Kira caressed the part that Cagalli hit, his sister could really hit hard, even though she was pregnant.

"That's what you get for insulting your older sister." Cagalli was beaming with pride that she managed to hit her brother.

"Cagalli, I think you're mistaken, I'm the older one."

"You're not Kira! I am!"

"I am!"

"I am!"

"Now, now…" Lacus went in the middle of the siblings before Cagalli could punch Kira for the second time. "Don't start an argument about that again. You two always fight about who's older."

"So who's older then?" Cagalli and Kira asked Lacus for her opinion.

"I say…" She looked at both of them before answering. "…that Kira is the older one."

"What?" Cagalli was disheartened when Lacus told her that, she thought that Lacus was her friend! Of course she would side with him; Kira is her boyfriend after all.

"Of course I am." Kira was beaming with pride, now he finally got to prove to Cagalli that he was older, all thanks to Lacus.

"And because you're older…" Lacus looked at Kira and handed him a couple of paper bags. "You should carry your younger sister's stuff like an older brother should!"

Both of the twins gasped when Lacus handed Kira, six or seven paper bags. Since when did she buy all of those clothes? Maybe when the two of them were arguing about the dress, Lacus decided to buy the dresses before Cagalli could protest.

"You bought so many Lacus!" Cagalli gasped at the horror that she would be wearing tons of dresses with different frills, ruffles and patterns.

"Of course! So you have many dresses to choose from." Lacus smiled. "That dress you're wearing is also paid for." She dumped the clothes that Cagalli was wearing when they got in the shop into one of the paper bags.

"Wait, you paid for all of those with your own money?" Kira asked his girlfriend, the two of them were in a dispute a while ago so Cagalli isn't the one that paid for those.

"Of course… not!" Lacus handed him a piece of plastic, which turned out to be his credit card. "Because you're the older brother, you should pay for all of your little sister's dresses."

Now it was Kira's turn to gasp in horror. Lacus bought this much! When he looked at the price of one dress, it cost thousands of Orb dollars. But then all of these paper bags cost a fortune then! Lacus was wiping his bank account clean!

Cagalli was also smirking when they went out of the shop. "This dress seems to look way nicer. You know why?"

"And why is that?" Lacus innocently asked her.

"Because I didn't have to pay for it."

"Gee Lacus, I like the way you think. Maybe I'd prefer to be the younger sibling if it were always like this."

"Thank you Cagalli." Lacus smiled back at her. "You know we should do this more often, you know we should shop more often."

"We definitely should!" Cagalli agreed.

"Kira should come with us next time! So you know, he can give us an opinion if what we buy is nice or not." Lacus gave Cagalli a playful wink.

"Of course!" Cagalli played along. "I'd love to hear a second opinion from him!"

"Kira, let's go and eat somewhere. All this shopping is making me hungry!" Lacus held on to her boyfriend, who was still looking at the receipt of the paper bags with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

"And because you're the older sibling, you should pay for what we eat as well!" Cagalli gave him an 'I-outsmarted-you-this-time' look. "We should eat there!" She pointed to a fancy restaurant. "I heard from Athrun that the food there is delicious!"

"I also heard that it was expensive!" Lacus pretended to look worried, but was actually enjoying every minute teasing Kira.

"Don't worry." Cagalli winked at her. "It's my older brother's treat! He can handle it. Right Kira?"

"Suddenly, I think I don't want to be the older brother anymore." Kira scratched his head. The two girls won this time and he decided to accept his defeat.

"No take backs Kira!" Cagalli stuck her tongue out to him and Lacus laughed at the two siblings.

-o0o-

At last he was done. Athrun looked at his watch after he closed his laptop shut. It was already 7:30 in the evening. He didn't notice that it already got so late. By then, Cagalli would have already eaten dinner.

Dinner.

The growl on his stomach reminded him that he himself needed to eat dinner. The last time he ate was this morning, and boy was he starving.

He turned off the lights in his office and proceeded to exit the building, maybe he would just grab a bite at the nearest restaurant or drive thru Quackdonalds, whichever he would prefer better.

In his car, Athrun was still contemplating on whether to drive thru Quackdonalds or to eat in a restaurant. But then if he would eat in a restaurant, it would seem to melancholic, eating alone that is.

Drive thru Quackdonalds – was his final decision. He drove by and bought a large-sized cheeseburger.

As he was taking a bite and driving all the while, he felt some weird sensation, a negative one. He then remembered that he would usually eat dinner with Cagalli, Miriallia and Dearka. Now it seemed like he wasn't used to the idea of eating alone. It seemed kind of lonely, now that he thought of it.

Now that Cagalli came into his life, it seemed like there wasn't a time that he ate alone and he couldn't deny had so much fun and interesting incidents compared to his boring and hectic office life.

But then again, he frequently ate alone when he moved out of his parents. And he always had fun with Dearka and the gang, hanging out doing all sorts of crazy things. Why was eating alone now any different?

Without thinking, he turned to the opposite direction of where his house was. He kept on driving until he realized where he was headed, to Cagalli's house.

He wanted to spend the last hours of his birthday with her.

-o0o-

When he arrived at Cagalli's house, he noticed that the lights were still off. Maybe Cagalli and his brother weren't back from the mall yet.

But wait, why was he here in the first place?

He didn't know. But he didn't leave either.

A few seconds passed and he saw lights coming from the opposite direction, when he looked closer, he realized that it was Mister Number's Three's car.

Then the car stopped in front of Cagalli's house. After the car stopped and he saw Kira and Cagalli go out.

He didn't waste any time and Athrun also stepped out of his car. He went near the siblings and Kira was the first one to recognize him.

"ZAFT freakazoid!" He was unable to notice his car and was astonished that Athrun popped out of nowhere. He pointed his finger at him, accusingly. "What are you? A ghost? Where did you come from?"

"Athrun?" Cagalli was also surprised that Athrun suddenly appeared, but not as much as Kira was. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Mister EAF." Athrun greeted him, without the sarcasm that he usually possessed whenever he would talk to Kira. "I'd like to borrow Cagalli for a little while."

Cagalli didn't even have the time to protest because she felt Athrun's hand on hers and he was pulling her away from Kira. Another moment later, Athrun was nicely asking her to enter the car, and she entered obediently.

"Hey wait a minute!" Kira tried to stop him, but they were already inside Athrun's car and it drove off.

"Where is that freak taking her?" Kira let out an irritating sigh but went inside the house, carrying the paper bags that they shopped, with him.

-o0o-

"What's with you today Zala?" Cagalli asked him as they went out the car. They really didn't drive that far, Athrun just stopped when they reached the playground of Cagalli's village, near the tennis court where they last had a confrontation.

"Nothing, really." He gave her a smile and sat down on one of the empty swings.

"Nothing?" Cagalli looked at him disbelievingly and took the seat next to him. "I keep asking you where we're going and you just keep smiling at me. That's just plain peculiar Zala."

"You're wearing a dress today." Athrun finally noticed Cagalli wearing a dress, changing the topic. She looked cute, but then again, she looked cute in whatever she wore.

"Don't get me wrong." Athrun saw a tint of red in Cagalli's cheeks. "It's not like I wanted to wear this dress. Lacus forced me into wearing this."

"I should thank her then." His voice was barely audible.

"What?" Cagalli asked him when she was unable to hear what he said.

"Nothing." He chuckled.

"See! You're so wei-" Athrun's phone rang, stopping Cagalli in midway.

Without even looking at the caller id, Athrun answered his phone. "Hello?"

"ZALAAAA!" Dearka's drunken voice was on the other line. "How did your birthday go?"

Athrun had to lift his phone away from his ears. Dearka's voice was too loud, it would break his eardrums. "Idiot. Why are you drunk again? Where's Yzak?"

"ZALAAAA! You freaking bastard!" This time it was Yzak's voice that surprised him. "Why aren't you celebrating your birthday with us? Don't tell me you're with Cagalli again!"

"That's right you lover boy! You have no time for us anymore!"

And then someone got the phone from them, it was Nicol, their colleague. "Hey Athrun, sorry about that. These two drank so much beer. I'm wondering how they even got to call you." He chuckled.

"Oh hey Nicol." Athrun laughed when he heard his friend talk. It had been a long time since he last saw Nicol. "Let's all hang out next time."

"Okay then. I'll take care of these two wasted dudes."

"I pity you for doing that."

"No worries, anyway, happy birthday man."

"Thanks." He put his phone back to his pocket and turned to his companion, whose eyes were wide open in shock.

"It's… it's your birthday?" Cagalli was taken aback. It was the sex-machine's birthday and she didn't even know about it.

"Yeah. It is." He smiled at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She stood up and shook Athrun.

"I'm telling you now, it's my birthday today." Athrun winked at her, but seriously, how could he even tell her if he himself forgot?

"But…" Cagalli pouted. "I didn't even have the chance to get you something!" She felt bad that she didn't even have the chance to make or to buy Athrun a gift.

"No need for that." Athrun shrugged it off so that she wouldn't worry about it, but she looked guiltier than ever.

"I want to get you something!" Cagalli insisted. After all the things that Athrun had done for her, of course she wanted to give something as a token of appreciation.

Athrun stood up and gave Cagalli a light pat on the shoulders. "I told you, no need for that." He assured her.

"Even if you say that, I still want to give you something!" Why was Athrun rejecting her gratuitousness? "I'll buy you anything that you want… just as long as it isn't so expensive. Like a trip to Europe or something like that…"

Athrun couldn't help but laugh at Cagalli's silliness. She was just too cute. "Fine. I know what I want, and it wouldn't even cost you that much."

"Really?" Cagalli's eyes were gleaming when Athrun finally agreed. At last she could show how grateful she was.

"I want a kiss."

"What?" Cagalli thought that she heard him say that he wanted a kiss, but she asked her again just to be sure.

"A kiss." True enough, she could hear perfectly fine.

"No way!" She scowled while crossing her arms. "That's more expensive than a trip to Europe!"

"Fine, just forget it." He couldn't help but give her a sad smile. "I'll take you home." He walked to his car.

The poignant look in Athrun's eyes made Cagalli felt bad about saying no. It was different from his usual cool and imperturbable look. It made her a bit disheartened and guilty. Maybe it was not so bad to give him a kiss. It wouldn't really cost her that much. After all, they already made out the first time they met. Not to mention that he had done a lot of things for her. But even so! To ask for a kiss, it was too embarrassing. Can't he just ask for something that she could buy?

Cagalli was having a debate with herself, but she knew that maybe she could give Athrun what he wanted; it was his birthday after all.

She ran to catch up with Athrun, but instead of giving him a kiss. She gave her a hug from the back; she wrapped her arms around him, surprising Athrun.

"Can I give you a hug instead?" Cagalli's voice was muffled; she buried her head in his back. "You don't mind if it's just a hug right?"

Athrun smiled as he felt Cagalli's hands wrap around his waist. "No I don't mind at all." He held her hands that were getting cold.

They stayed like that for a few seconds, until Athrun felt something bump his back. It wasn't Cagalli; he had a good hold of her hands.

Then he realized that it may be the baby, the baby was moving.

"Athrun…" Cagalli released the hold that she had on Athrun. Astonishment was all over her face. "Did you feel that?"

"I did…" Athrun was also in a shock. "I did…"

"The baby… moved."

Athrun turned to face her and it was his turn to enclose her petite body in his arms. He couldn't even say how happy he was. The baby moved. Their baby just moved. As the father, he couldn't help but feel so ecstatic.

"You don't mind if I hug you even longer?" Athrun asked Cagalli when he held her closer, but was careful to not hurt the baby in the process.

"I don't." Cagalli buried her face in Athrun's chest. It felt so comfortable anyway, not to mention warm.

"Sorry I didn't bring a jacket with me." He apologized to her. He frequently saw in movies that the guys always brought jackets to cover the girl if she was cold. Why didn't he believe that it could also happen in real life?

"It's okay." The warmth from Athrun's body was much better than a jacket.

As they stayed in that position for a couple of minutes, Athrun was sure of it.

It was the best October 29 that he had.

Now he'd be unable to forget his birthday in the coming years.

-o0o-

Tadaaaa! End of story. Now that this fic has come to an end, thank you for all the readers and reviewers that supported and patiently waited for this fic. I thank you all from the bottom of my hearts.

**I'M JUST KIDDING. HEEHEE. =))** Of course, fic's not done yet. :)) I got you didn't I? :D Anyway, your feedback is much appreciated.

This chapter = kilig much. :"

Again, thank you to chicken and uchihasaime for helping me out on this chapter.

I was listening to AZU songs, Gundam Seed songs and Clannad OSTs when I was writing. Hihi. Sharing.

See you in the next chapter! ;) Auf Wiedersehen.

Additional Notes:

[1] I was replaying the scene in Gundam Seed wherein Kira said those exact words to Cagalli when Aisha forced her into a dress. It was so hilarious that I had to incorporate it here, minus Aisha, Andrew Waltfeld and all the guns and war.


	19. Then it was all red

A/N: Hello everyone! Here's an update!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 19: Then it was all red

-o0o-

"Thank you for your patronage, please come again!" Shirley and the other remaining waitresses bid their last customer for the day a cheerful a goodbye as he exited their shop carrying with him a box of Chocolate Marshmallow Cake.

They proceeded on the usual routine, tidying the pastry shop. Shirley grabbed the broom and swept the floor, Milly rearranged the chairs that were in disarray and Kallen wiped the tables clean.

Even though they had switched the sign of the door from 'Open' to 'Close', a decorous looking man entered their shop. He had a blonde hair, like Cagalli's and mauve eyes just like Kira but he didn't look like he was their relative when the waitresses inwardly examined his features.

"I'm sorry but we're closed for the day!" Kallen apologized to the man that just entered.

The man gave her a smile, but didn't leave the shop. "No I just want to talk to the owner of this shop."

"May I help you?" Shirley didn't need to fetch Cagalli from her office, as she was already there.

"Hello there young lady." He gave Cagalli an urbane nod before continuing what he wanted to say. "I'm Suoh Tamaki from the Tamaki Group of Companies. [1] It's nice to meet you." He held out his hand for Cagalli to shake.

Tamaki Group of Companies rang a bell. Cagalli heard it mentioned in her business class back in college. The Tamaki Group of Companies was expanding their businesses and whatnot.

Cagalli held the hand of the Suoh Tamaki guy and shook his hand, she found it impolite not to. "I'm Cagalli Hibiki, the owner of the shop. Mister Tamaki, is there anything that you need?" But he actually gave her hand a light kiss, which surprised Cagalli. This guy was like a prince.

"Yes actually Miss Hibiki." Suoh Tamaki flashed Cagalli another smile. "I actually want to make business deals with you."

"Business deals?" Cagalli furrowed her brow on the man in front of her. She didn't expect anything like this.

"I want to buy your shop." He said to Cagalli without any further ado.

"Buy my shop?" Cagalli was unable to believe her ears. Did she hear him right? He wanted to buy her shop.

"Yes." He nodded. "This area is starting to become a hub for most people in the city so we are planning to build a restaurant out of this whole commercial building. The owner said that it was alright, just as long as I get the approval of every tenant. Every other tenant, besides your shop, agreed to sell theirs even without hesitation."

"Eh?" Everything that the blonde prince was saying did not fully register in Cagalli's brain. She was just too shocked.

"Don't worry." Tamaki Suoh gave her an assuring look. "We will shoulder the expenses that your shop might need for relocation and we will also pay for your employees' salaries whilst the transfer is still in process."

Cagalli, who was in a state of bewilderment, couldn't even utter a single word in reply. This was all happening too abruptly.

"I'll leave the papers here if you want to look through them." The man placed a folder on one of the tables and started to walk away. "The price of the buyout can also be negotiable. I'll come back tomorrow to see if you considered in agreeing to the terms listed in those papers."

-o0o-

"Just who the hell is that Suoh Tamaki guy?" Miriallia let out an irritated huff moments after the man left the shop. "Why did he suddenly want to build a restaurant here?"

Cagalli could only sigh at Miriallia's remarks. The price that he was offering was really something. If she accepted his offer, then she would be able to establish not just one pastry shop but even several more. It seemed so sensible but there was a gut feeling inside of her that was telling her to reject the offer.

"Hey Athrun's here." Miriallia tapped her best friend, who was in deep thought.

"Oh right." She got her bag and went towards the door. "Aren't you riding with me?" She asked Miriallia when she hadn't moved an inch in her chair.

"No it's alright." Miriallia smiled at her best friend. "Dearka's going to pick me up today. We're going to have dinner together."

"I see." Those two are really serious about dating each other. She initially thought that it was a one time thing, but no, she was wrong. Cagalli went back to give her a light hug.

"Bye Cagalli." Miriallia returned Cagalli's hug. "Don't worry, whatever you decide, you know that we're still partners right?"

"Thanks Miri." It was nice to have a supportive best friend like her, although it didn't really help Cagalli to decide on whether she should sell the shop or not.

-o0o-

Selling the pastry shop meant giving up their spot at that building. At first she thought that it was a bad location to start a business with because they were barely any people that passed by. But as time went by, she noticed that the daily number of her customers was steadily increasing. It might be the taste of their cakes or the quality of service that they give to the customers or it might be both.

Not only the number of her customers increased, but the number of loyal ones. There are even some that would order a bunch of pastries days before. There were many people that came by almost every day of the week just to have a slice of cake or a cup of coffee. Athrun and his friends were one of the many. Needless to say, Cagalli have grown close to those people that frequented her shop. If they relocated to another place, would they still visit her shop?

But if she accepted the Tamaki guy's offer, she could only imagine how many other branches she could set up with the amount he was willing to give. Although at first, the number of customers might be low, it would certainly increase, just as long as they do their best to serve the customers and to make their cakes sell to the people in the vicinity of their shop...

And besides, if she rejected the offer, imagine how furious the other tenants would get with her. They already agreed to the guy's offer, the same amount that he had proposed her, to buy their own spots. It would be selfish on her part to deprive those people of the money they already agreed upon.

She didn't want to sell her shop. Call it sentimental or anything, but she didn't want to, mainly because it's the first shop that she brought about. She also loved everything about their location; it wasn't as crowded as the other places so there was a feel of tranquility. Her employees, she also has grown close to them. She couldn't imagine working with other employees. What if the place that their new shop moves to is not accessible and they decide to find new jobs?

But then again Suoh Tamaki said that he would pay for the duration that they were unemployed. It was like giving them salaries while taking a leave. She was sure that Shirley and the others would appreciate a time off, a vacation.

It was all too confusing.

She was obliviously shaking her head that Athrun couldn't help but notice her problematic state. "Cagalli, are you okay?" He knew that there was something was the matter, besides the fact that Cagalli was implausibly quiet throughout the car ride; she was also constantly letting out worried sighs. She was perfectly fine when he fetched her that morning, so maybe something happened in the pastry shop.

"Uhm…" Cagalli flailed her arms around in midair. She didn't want Athrun to worry as well; after all, she caused him too much trouble already. "It's nothing really! I'm just debating with myself on something…" She secretly wished that the alibi would work.

"Debating with yourself on what?" Athrun didn't let go of the topic, as much as Cagalli had expected him too.

"Uh… I was debating on whether to wear the pink flowery dress that Lacus got for me or just wear sweatpants… I know I've wearing dresses almost single day, but that horrid dress… It's just too much you know." It was a good thing that Cagalli thought of a quick lie.

"You should wear the dress." And apparently Athrun believed her. "You look way cuter in a dress."

"Fine." Cagalli pouted in defeat. Then she would wear the dress tomorrow so as to stop making Athrun worry about her. Although the white lie she made was only an excuse to avoid talking about the business deal that Suoh Tamaki proposed to her, it was also true that she was also thinking whether or not she should wear the pink flowery dress. But of course, compared to what happened earlier, the decision whether or not to wear the dress was trivial.

Athrun had a hunch that it wasn't just about the pink flowery dress, she was wearing dresses frequently so she should have gotten used to it, but if Cagalli didn't want to talk about it, then he couldn't really compel her to.

"So, do you want ice cream?" Athrun suggested, he thought Cagalli's defeated mood would be lifted by the magic words.

"No." Cagalli answered, much to his shock. She never rejected his offer to buy ice cream, no matter what the situation was, except for the time that she saw her ex-boyfriend; she was too devastated that time. Something was really up. What could be so upsetting like that time? Now he really wanted to know.

"Cagalli, are you sure it's just the dress you're worrying about?" He tried to ask her one more time.

"It's only the dress! I swear!" Cagalli insisted.

"If you say so…" He knew that it wasn't just about the dress, but he decided to let it go if Double P doesn't want to talk about it.

-o0o-

"So Miss Hibiki, have you decided yet?" The voice from behind her made her heart jump out. Suoh Tamaki, the guy from yesterday appeared and was also in the staff entrance, the moment that Athrun had dropped her off and left.

"You surprised me." Cagalli put a hand on her chest to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry about that." The guy in front of her chuckled lightly. His laugh was like a taunting one, so Cagalli was tempted to give him a blow on the face. But she refrained herself from doing so. "So, going back to my question, have you thought of the terms written in the papers?" He asked her in a straightforward manner.

"Can you please come back later?" Cagalli's response to the guy's question was also another question. The truth was that she hadn't decided what to do with his proposal the night before, even though she spent most of the night tossing and turning in her bed thinking about it.

"You still haven't thought about it?" Suoh Tamaki seemed to be so surprised that she still hadn't made up her mind and raised an eyebrow. Cagalli swore that she wanted to plant her fist onto his face that moment. Does he think that deciding about matters like this is that easy?

When Cagalli wasn't giving her an answer, Suoh continued talking. "You know if you aren't contented with the price that's I've offered, we can talk that-"

"This is not about the money!" Cagalli couldn't help but to shout at him, but that was the least she could do. This bastard thinks that he could bribe her with money!

Her outburst shocked the heir of the Tamaki Group of Companies that he remained silent even after a few seconds had passed.

"Can you please come back later?" Cagalli repeated the favor she had asked from him but her voice now was a tad commanding. "I need to get inside now, the shop is about to open."

"Alright." He cleared his throat and started to back away. "But," He stopped in his tracks to face the pregnant blonde. "I'm expecting an answer from you later on. All of the tenants here already agreed, except you."

-o0o-

"Kira, I can't talk right now." Cagalli pressed the phone closer to her ears with her shoulders. She was in the kitchen helping Miriallia and Kallen with serving the customers as they were short on service crew today. Shirley, Milly, C.C., the ones who had their shifts today, didn't show up. Kallen told her that they went partying last night and maybe had a bad headache from all of the alcohol.

Cagalli didn't mind if the girls went out to party, it was just that, it was their shifts today. They should have told her sooner so that she could have asked the other waitresses who had their day off today. Two of the waitresses that had their day off were coming, but they would be here during or after lunch hours. She couldn't hurry them to come and help out; after all, it was supposed to be their rest day.

Oh, the bad timing of it all, just when three of her waitresses decide to not show up for work, that was when the customers started pouring inside incredibly. The shop itself was full of customers! And it wasn't even lunch time yet!

"But Cagalli!" Kira's voice was still on the other line. "I can't find it anywhere! I searched for it all over the house and I still can't find it! Are you sure you saw me holding it yesterday?"

"Yes I did. It was that green thing wasn't it?" She handed a tray for Milly to serve to the customers.

"Yes that's the one I'm looking for!"

"Maybe you left it at your desk."

"It's not here! Why can't I find it?"

"Look harder Kira!" She told him. "I'm sure your flash drive is just there somewhere."

"Here it is!" The dreaded tone of Kira's voice was replaced with relief. "It was under my bed."

"That's good to hear then. Anyway I need to go-"

"Wait Cagalli, have you seen my red necktie?" Kira asked her again. He was in a state of panic, he had some business trip to go to and yet he still was looking for his things.

"For Pete's sake Kira!" Cagalli was getting mad already. Kira needed a personal maid to tidy his things up. He keeps losing his stuff and the worst part of that was, he kept pestering her if she happened to remember where he last tossed them. "Search with your eyes! Not with your mouth! I'm busy, I need to go!" She turned her phone off, in case that Kira would call her again and placed it back in the pocket of her pink flowery dress. "Geez that Kira." She helped in slicing the cake.

"Chill Cagalli." Miriallia smiled at her, to help lighten up the mood. She saw what happened earlier, the Suoh Tamaki guy was bugging her to make a decision already. Of course Cagalli's feeling annoyed, and her brother wasn't helping.

-o0o-

Maybe visiting today was a bad idea.

Cagalli's pastry shop was full of people. Every table, every chair, there was a customer occupying it. He didn't know the reason behind this, there would usually be five to six, or seven customers even during lunch hour, but now, he couldn't even find a vacant chair to sit on. Today, Cagalli's shop was similar to a fast-food chain during rush hours.

It also seemed like there was only one waitress today. She was running around the shop like crazy. He also saw Cagalli going out of the kitchen to serve the orders. Where were the other waitresses?

"Hello Double P." He greeted her when she finally saw him.

"Athrun, what are you doing here?" She went to him after she placed the order of the customer on the table.

"I was supposed to order coffee, you know the usual…" He looked around the shop, but still, there wasn't an empty chair. "But I can't find a seat."

"The shop's pretty crowded today."

"I can see that."

"Excuse me miss." A customer asked for Cagalli's attention.

"Yes?" Cagalli went near the customer to see what the problem was.

"Uhm, this isn't my order." She handed back the wrong piece of cake to Cagalli. "My order's Mango Sansrival."

"I'm really sorry about this." Cagalli got the plate and headed back to the kitchen.

Seconds later, Cagalli went out of the kitchen to serve the Mango Sansrival that the customer ordered. "Here you are, sorry if we exchanged the orders a while ago."

Poor Cagalli looked stressed. Athrun wanted to do something to help.

"Do you need an extra hand Cagalli? I can help." Athrun offered to help.

"You've got to be kidd-" Even before Cagalli could finish what she had to say, Shirley, Milly, Hikari and Megumi [2] went out of the kitchen.

"Cagalli! We're really sorry for being so late!" Shirley and Milly immediately went to her and apologized.

"I heard from Kallen that you were all partying last night. And you know that you have your shifts today right? You could have told me sooner so I could have asked Hikari and Megumi to take their shifts today." Cagalli raised an eyebrow and scolded the two of them.

"We're really sorry about this Cagalli! It will never happen again! I swear!" Both of them lowered their heads to apologize to their boss.

"Fine. It's okay." Cagalli sighed, there was no point in getting mad anyway. "Where's C.C. by the way?" Cagalli saw Hikari and Megumi, the two waitresses that volunteered to help today, but not C.C.

"She's sick." Milly answered her.

"I see. Let's all help out with the kitchen now. Kallen and Miriallia will be so glad that our womanpower [3] increased."

"Okay then! Let's all get to work everyone!" Hikari, the most enthusiastic of all of them, cheered.

Sensing the stress that Cagalli was feeling right now, Athrun knew that he had to do something about it. It was bad for their baby. Gently, he got her hand and pulled her out of the pastry shop.

"Just what are you doing you sex-machine?" Cagalli scowled at him when they were already outside the shop. Pregnant women can be so grumpy at times.

"I'm taking you on a break." He stated in a manner-of-fact tone and was pulling her to the direction of where his car was parked.

"But didn't you see the number of customers that we have today? I have no time to take a break Zala!" She tried to break free from his hand, but failed, he was just too strong.

"But didn't you see the number of your staff that went in to help? They'll be fine, trust me. But you Double P, you need a break." He said calmly.

"But-" Cagalli tried to protest, but Athrun managed to put her inside his car.

"Remember what Doctor Murrue said when we had the checkup last week?" Athrun asked her as he revved up the engine of his car.

"Which part?" She was still glowering at him. She still had a lot of work to do back in the shop.

"The part that she told you to stop stressing yourself because in this period of a woman's pregnancy is when miscarriages often happen." That seemed to have shut her up, because he knew that she didn't want anything bad to happen to the baby.

-o0o-

"You're being awfully peculiar Double P." Athrun examined the blonde in front of her. They were in an ice cream shop and he ordered her a chocolate ice cream, just the way she liked it, with marshmallows, syrup, sprinkles and a cherry on top. But no matter how appealing the ice cream looked, Double P was barely eating it.

"Why am I being so awfully peculiar?" Cagalli asked him while toying with the ice cream cup. Usually with free and mouthwatering ice creams like this, it would only take her several minutes to finish it, but thirty minutes have passed and she only ate one or two spoons of ice cream. She had no appetite today and it was probably because she was stressing about too much things.

"Look at your cup, it isn't even half empty." Athrun sighed at the ice cream that was now only 'cream' because it melted already.

"Can we go back to the shop now? I don't really feel like eating ice cream today." Cagalli sighed. She felt bad that she had to waste food, but she couldn't force herself to eat it if she didn't want to.

"Alright then." Even though she wasn't back to the Cagalli that he used to know, at least he was able to make her take a break. He placed a bill on the table and they both stood up to leave.

The both of them walked to where Athrun's car was. Before they Athrun could even press the keys to his car, a voice was heard.

"Athrun?"

Talk about wrong timing.

Cagalli and Athrun turned to look at who it was and they saw two girls.

Both heads were in the shade of pink and pinkish red.

Cagalli recognized the two girls. The first one was undoubtedly Athrun's ex-girlfriend, the one that kept saying that she still loved Athrun bla bla blah. She saw the other girl during the morning that she slept at Athrun's place; it was the bitchy girl who snapped at her. The two of them looked so much alike. They may be sisters. The girl with the shorter hair seemed to look nervous the moment that she saw Athrun and took a step back.

"Let's go back to your shop Cagalli." Athrun tried to ignore the two girls but he was damn pissed. That was the reason Lunamaria was absent today, she was shopping with Meyrin. It pissed him off, tremendously. But he would have to deal with her tomorrow; they were in public, not in the office.

"Okay." Cagalli didn't make an objection for she knew if they stayed a little longer, it would be messy.

"Athrun!" Meyrin was unable to believe the sight in front of her. Her dearest Athrun was holding hands with this fat blonde wannabe! She was not even pretty, when you ask Meyrin, partly because she thought that she was the best girl for Athrun. She was the girl with Athrun when she saw him in the ice cream shop.

"Meyrin…" Luna whispered into her ear. "That's the girl I'm talking about."

"What girl?"

"The girl I saw in Athrun's condo." She remembered the morning that Luna was so frustrated when she got home, it turns out that Athrun's condo was answered by a blonde girl and Athrun shut the door to her face. Meyrin strongly wished that it was another girl, not the one that she saw with Athrun last time.

"Athrun!" Meyrin's heart was shattering into pieces every minute Athrun held on to the blonde bitch. "Are you sure you want to continue dating that girl? She's not even pretty or sexy!"

Cagalli was shocked at what Athrun's ex-girlfriend just said. She wanted to beat the pulp out of her but refrained herself from doing so. Who the hell does she think she is? She's not even pretty herself, her face was just masked by tons of make-up. Btu seriously, she was getting mad at almost every person today.

"Who are you to tell me who to date?" Athrun asked her knowingly. "Don't mind what she's saying Cagalli. Let's go back to the shop."

And when Cagalli nodded and turned to walk towards the car; that was when Meyrin noticed it.

She wasn't just fat. Her stomach was bulging. It wasn't the flab type of bulge.

It was the type of bulge when a woman was pregnant.

"You're pregnant!" Meyrin stomped near Cagalli; Athrun was on the other side of the car already. Lunamaria was also shocked by this. She didn't notice that when she first went to Athrun's condo. "Is Athrun the father of that?"

When Athrun and the blonde, whom Meyrin deemed unattractive, remained quiet, Meyrin felt something inside her erupt. It was plain jealousy. Jealous that the blonde girl was now the girl that was always on Athrun's side and jealous about the fact that this pregnancy thing would bring them closer.

"You bitch!" It was uncalled for when Meyrin pushed Cagalli. "You scheming and flirtatious bitch!"

Cagalli wasn't even expecting that so she fell to the ground. _"That hurt!"_ She said to herself.

"Meyrin, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Athrun was shocked at Meyrin's actions and ran to stop her. "Stop that!"

The thought of her dearest Athrun protecting this blonde bitch made her more infuriated. Even though she was already on the ground, Meyrin reached to pull her hair out.

"You bitch! You bitch! You bitch!" Meyrin shouted at her while her hands were still pulling on Cagalli's hair. "That's why Athrun doesn't want to get back with me! Because you flirted with him you stupid slut! It's your fault you slut! You're a slut! You hear me?"

Luna was so shocked with Meyrin's actions that she froze in her spot. Who knew that Meyrin could get that jealous?

"Meyrin! Stop that already!" Athrun managed to push Meyrin away from Cagalli. He helped Cagalli to stand up and wrapped his arms around her protectively. "Don't touch her!"

"No Athrun!" Meyrin was in tears now but still refused to lay her hands off of Cagalli. "That bitch! It's that whore's fault! You should be back with me not with that ugly slut! It's that-"

"Stop this nonsense already!" Athrun slapped her with his left hand; his other hand was still around Cagalli's waist.

"Athrun…" Meyrin was surprised that Athrun even slapped her. Her hand held the spot that Athrun's hand landed. The spot was stinging, stinging with the pain that his palm inflicted on her. But what hurt the most was that Athrun slapped her. He never even tried to hurt her when they were still together, no matter how irritating she sometimes got. "But that girl!"

Cagalli was breathing so hard now. Everything was happening so suddenly. First when Suoh Tamaki proposed to buy her shop. It was totally unexpected that she doesn't know what to do, even until now, then the clutter at the shop a while ago wherein she felt like she was running around in circles, then Kira calling her every five minutes asking her where his things were. And now Athrun's ex-girlfriend was calling her a bitch, slut, whore, unattractive, etc.

She couldn't take it anymore. She was so stressed.

She was sweating, even though it wasn't that hot. She didn't know why. She couldn't even hear what Athrun and Meyrin were shouting about. All she knew that she was in pain.

She felt her abdomen, where the pain was coming from.

"Athrun…" Her voice barely came out as a whisper. She felt that her energy was being drained by some unknown force.

Something felt wrong.

When Athrun didn't hear her, she nervously looked down because she felt something flowing in between her legs.

It was what she dreaded to see. It was all red. It was blood.

"ATHRUN!" She managed to shout out, using all her strength. That seemed to have caught Athrun's attention. She slowly dropped from Athrun's grip and to the ground.

Athrun stopped arguing with Meyrin and turned his attention to her. He couldn't even express how staggered he was. Here was Double P, almost unconscious and blood was flowing out of her.

"Cagalli! Cagalli! Get a hold of yourself!" Athrun carefully shook her with panic stuck all over his chest. He should have never let Meyrin push her. He should have taken her somewhere else. He had to take her to the hospital, and fast!

Cagalli wasn't even responding to what he was saying to her, but all she was saying over and over again was that. "It hurts Athrun! It hurts!" Her fists grasped Athrun's shirt and clenched it hard. Her tears were now flowing.

With her vision blurring and the hold that she had on Athrun was weakening, the last thing that she saw was Athrun mouthing words that she was unable to understand.

-o0o-

Tada! Chapter 19 done! What do you think will happen to the baby? DUNDUNDUN. Oh well I'm not telling you! You have to wait for the next chapter!

Additional Notes:

[1] Tamaki Suoh is from Ouran High School Host Club. He's the first

rich kid that popped into my head. I was supposed to use Kyouya but I don't know his last name. And sorry if I made him the bad guy here, forgive me! :D But anyway, I do not own him or Ouran.

[2] Hikari and Megumi are characters from Special A, I don't own them.

[3] I don't know if there is such word. But Microsoft Word didn't put any red underline underneath it, so I guess it's a word. :D


	20. Mixed Feelings

A/N: Hey everyone! Chapter 20 is here. Sorry if it's a bit late, you all know the reason why (school :|). Hihihi.

I feel flattered that I received many reviews last chapter, thank you all! But there was one reviewer that even cheered for Meyrin (screw Meyrin!) with what she did to Cagalli; I don't know how I should feel about that… :))

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 20: Mixed Feelings

-o0o-

Athrun paced the white hallway of the Orb National Hospital back and forth. He did not know how many times he was able to do so, and how tiring it was for his feet but he could not care less. The red light in front of the door was still brightly lit. Cagalli was still in the emergency room for crying out loud!

It was indisputably his fault. If only he had listened to Cagalli and let her stay in her pastry shop, or maybe if he had taken her somewhere else, then maybe they could have avoided seeing Meyrin and Luna. And if he had protected her from Meyrin, then Cagalli and the baby would not have been in the emergency room right now.

It was his damn fault.

If anything bad were to happen to Cagalli and the baby, he would only have himself to blame for it.

He didn't know how he would be able to forgive himself if ever it was the case.

He wouldn't be able to endure the guilt of not having the ability to protect her, when he had the power to.

"Athrun, hey. Calm down. I'm sure Cagalli will be fine." Miriallia also felt worried about her best friend's wellbeing but hid it from Athrun so that it wouldn't add further to his already anxious state.

"I just…" Athrun's voice trailed off and he sat down the bench beside Miriallia. "It's my fault." He put his palm on his forehead and took a deep sigh. "I can't believe it came to this."

"Don't blame yourself so much." Miriallia gave him a pat on the back. "Just relax Athrun."

"I can't relax Miriallia. I really can't." He was about to stand again to pace around the hall but Miriallia stopped him.

"Sit down." She told him. "Don't think of anything negative for the moment. And stop blaming yourself."

"How can I not when everything's my fault?" He didn't even bother to look at her as his eyes remained at the cold tiles of the hospital floor.

"Not really…" Miriallia told him while feeling bad about Cagalli's state. "It's not really your fault in the first place."

"What do you mean by that?" Athrun finally looked at her direction.

"Well you see, it's about the shop…" Miriallia paused for a moment. She shouldn't really be telling Athrun about the blonde guy entering the shop and convincing Cagalli to sell it to him. But if he knew, then he should know that he's not to blame.

"What about the shop?" Athrun asked her again. "Is it because there were too many customers a while ago and then some of the waitresses were absent?"

"It's not only that." Miriallia took a deep breath, so Cagalli didn't tell Athrun about it. She didn't think she should be the person to tell him.

"Then what?" When Miriallia wasn't responding, Athrun was getting all the more curious. So maybe that was the reason why Double P was extremely quiet yesterday, refused to eat her chocolate ice cream with syrup and sprinkles, and kept sighing worriedly. "Please tell me what she's been stressing about."

She knew that she should just let Cagalli tell him what it's about, but the worried and the guilt-ridden look on his face made her open her mouth and continue talking. "Yesterday, when we were closing the shop, a guy named Suoh Tamaki came inside our shop. Are you familiar with that name?"

"Yeah, a little." He nodded. He did remember seeing the name 'Suoh Tamaki' in one business magazine; he just couldn't remember what the article about him was about.

"Then he offered to buy Cagalli's pastry shop." Miriallia said with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Then what did Cagalli do?" Athrun was shocked at was he was hearing. But if she had a dilemma like that, then why didn't she tell him?

"She's still thinking it over. Of course, if it were only up to her, she wouldn't want to sell the shop. She's made a lot of good and loyal customers there and that's the first shop that we both put our efforts into." Miriallia smiled to herself as she reminisced the first days of the shop.

"_Cagalli! Where should we put this clock?" Miriallia called out to her best friend._

_Cagalli looked at her and thought for a moment. "Hmm… What if you put it above the door? That way the customers without no watches would see the time."_

"_Let's see." Miriallia climbed the ladder and placed it just above the door like Cagalli told her to._

"_But, what if a customer opens the door then the clock falls on their head or something? Then they'll never want to come back here again." Cagalli asked her and was on her way to remove the clock from the wall._

"_Relax!" Miriallia stopped her from doing so. "That would fall down."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Of course I am."_

"_I'm just really worried about the opening tomorrow..." Cagalli sat down on one of the newly furnished chairs and sighed. "What if we don't have customers except for Kira and your parents?" _

"_Shinn will also be our customer. But he may just be coming here everyday just to see you." Miriallia gave Cagalli a knowing smirk. "And besides, are you doubting my baking skills?" She put her hands across her chest and pouted._

"_Of course not!" Cagalli stood up and flailed her arms. "You bake the most delicious cakes I know! I swear I'm not lying!" With her index finger, she drew an imaginary 'x' on her chest. "Cross my heart and swear to die."_

"_I'm just joking." Miriallia laughed as she hugged her best friend. "And besides, if there are any leftover cakes, we can bring them home or eat them here!"_

"_Then let's go and work out together to burn all the carbs!"_

_Both of them walked outside hand in hand, feeling nervous, but ready for their first day at business the day after._

"Then what's making her hesitate?" Athrun's question made Miriallia stop recollecting memories from the past.

"The other tenants of the building have already agreed to the price that that prince-like blonde offered. The owner agreed as well. So imagine the pressure that Cagalli's feeling right now. The final decision on whether Suoh Tamaki gets the building or not, is really up to her. No matter how she wants to stay, she worries that the other tenants of the building would get mad at her because of the benefits that the blonde promised them." Miriallia sighed worriedly.

Wait a minute. Did Miriallia just say prince-like blonde?

"Argh! That guy's so irritating!" Miriallia continued talking. "Kissing Cagalli's hand and all! How dare he even do that? It makes him seem like the good guy with that smile plastered on his face!"

Kissing girl's hands? Always smiling?

Athrun now knew who Miriallia was talking about. Yes, that Suoh Tamaki. To get his way in the business world, he uses his charms. He remembered the time when his father introduced Suoh Tamaki to him. The guy walked straight passed them and gave his mother a kiss on the hand, which sent his father extremely jealous and he had to hold his father so that he wouldn't assault the guy.

He never liked Suoh Tamaki, from the moment that he met him.

"Miriallia!" A girl's voice was heard. Athrun turned to look and saw Lacus running to them, looking distressed.

"Lacus!" Miriallia stood up and gave the pink-haired girl a hug. "It's a good thing you came."

"How's Cagalli?" Lacus really wanted to know how her friend's condition was. The moment that Miriallia called her, she immediately rushed from her workplace to find a taxi.

"We don't know that yet." Miriallia answered her. True enough, she and Athrun were uncertain of what the outcome might be.

"I hope everything will be okay." Lacus clasped both of her hands and wished that she would be.

"Where's Kira?" Athrun asked the girl who just arrived.

"Kira's making his way back from the business trip." Lacus answered him. "He won't be back until later this evening."

-o0o-

The three of them were seated silently. No one even dared to utter words to each other once they saw the red light from the emergency room go off.

Athrun took swallowed hard. This was it. They would know what happened to Cagalli and their baby.

Once the doctor came out of the room, Athrun, Miriallia and Lacus stood up and immediately went in front of the doctor.

"How is she?" Athrun was the first one to open his mouth and ask the doctor.

The doctor first cleared his throat but didn't say anything. Then he gulped nervously, as if he was finding the right words to say to them. The agonizing silence was making the three of them nervous but they waited for him to speak first before landing into any conclusions.

But the gloomy face of the doctor didn't make their anxiety lessen. In fact, it made them all the more worried. Lacus at that moment wanted to cry already.

"Doctor? What happened to Cagalli? Is she okay?" Athrun was getting impatient called out to him. If he had to say bad news to say, then he better say it now rather than prolonging the wait.

The doctor cleared his throat yet again before breaking into a smile.

"Don't worry. It was just a false alarm. Both the mother and the baby's fine." Athrun had mixed feelings. He didn't know whether to punch the doctor for making all of them tense or to kneel and thank the doctor for saving Cagalli and the baby.

"Thank goodness!" Both Lacus and Miriallia hugged each other in relief.

"Anyway, the patient is resting for the moment." The doctor told them. "And please to prevent this from happening again, don't stress her okay?"

"We understand doctor, thank you." Athrun told the doctor before he left the three of them.

"But I hope Cagalli's still okay after this." Lacus spoke in a worried tone and sat back down.

"Yeah I hope so too." Miriallia sat down with her and sighed as well.

Athrun didn't know what the two of them were talking about, but remained silent.

-o0o-

Cagalli was being fairly quiet.

Ever since she regained consciousness and to the time they got inside his car, she hasn't spoken even a single word. The only gesture that she made to communicate with them was by nodding. When Miriallia and Lacus were saying goodbye to the both of them, instead of hugging them enthusiastically like she used to, she just gave them a nod and entered the car.

He couldn't blame her. If he was in Cagalli's shoes, then he would also feel terrified and shocked. After all, she was on the verge of losing the baby and he was partly to blame for it.

"You must be hungry. What do you want to eat?" Athrun asked her while driving. He really wasn't used to a quiet Cagalli anyway.

But Cagalli simply shook her head no.

"You should eat something. Are you sure you don't want anything? " She shouldn't be skipping meals after what happened earlier. But he couldn't force her to.

Nod.

"I'll take you home. You should eat there okay?"

Nod.

-o0o-

"Here." Athrun placed a plate of food in front of Cagalli. It was a good thing that he somehow knew how to cook. With the food inside Cagalli's refrigerator, he managed to cook her something that was acceptably edible.

After a few minutes, the food on Cagalli's plate was still untouched. Athrun knew that he wasn't the greatest chef around, but maybe Cagalli didn't really want to eat it because it didn't look as appetizing like the ones Miriallia cooks. She was just staring at the plate for a while and it started to worry Athrun.

"Do you want me to order food? It's okay if you don't want to eat that." Maybe she didn't really like to eat what he cooked. Maybe it wasn't edible like he thought it was. Oh well, he would eat it if she refused to.

Cagalli shook her head, it wasn't because it wasn't delicious or anything, she just had no appetite. She still didn't touch the food on the plate.

"Cagalli, you should eat, even a little." Athrun pleaded. "Please? It's not good for the baby if you don't eat."

The look on his emerald eyes seemed to compel her to eat as she took her utensils and started to put the food into her mouth.

Athrun inwardly took a breath of relief. Thank goodness that seemed to convince her to eat.

After a few moments of watching her, Athrun realized that Cagalli didn't have anything to drink. "I'll get you a glass of water." He stood up from the table to get a pitcher from the refrigerator.

As soon as he laid the pitcher down the pantry, he heard Cagalli stand up from the chair as well.

"What's the-" Athrun wasn't even able to finish his sentence when he felt Cagalli grabbing onto his shoulder.

"Cagalli, are you okay?" That might not be the right question to ask because he saw pools of tears in her eyes.

"Athrun…" Her voice was shaking. Athrun yet again had mixed feelings for it was the first word that she uttered after she got out of the hospital but then again she looked like she wanted to burst into tears.

He was looking at her, uncertain of what to do. Should he ask her what the problem was? Or should he just wait for her to talk about it?

Soon enough, Cagalli was crying, gripping the fabric of his polo all the while. "Athrun… I…"

Without a second to spare, Athrun had his arms around her. "Cagalli, I'm sorry for letting this happen to you." He tightened the hold he had on her. He knew it was bad to have her stressed again so he had to calm her down.

"Athrun… I was so scared." She mumbled in between her sobs. At first when she saw blood running down her legs, she thought that she would then and there lose the baby. It was a good thing that when she woke up, Athrun, Miriallia and Lacus told her that the baby was fine. But she really thought that something bad had already happened. It was like that instance with her parents…"I thought… I thought me and the baby were going to die."

"I'm really sorry Cagalli. I really am." Athrun gently ran his hand onto her hair and before enclosing her into a hug. She was shivering. He knew that she was terrified about what had happened so he let her cry all she wanted.

She was breathing so hard yet and shaking again but she really couldn't help it even if she wanted to. She was so scared. She didn't want anything like that to happen to her again.

"I'm scared to die… I don't want to die…" She repeatedly murmured while tightening the hold she had on Athrun, like he was a life vest. That was what she was feeling right now. So she submitted all her inhibitions and cried like a little girl. "Athrun I don't want to die. I'm scared to die."

"Everything's fine. I'm here. I won't let anything bad happen to you." That was all he could promise her at that moment. He would try, with all his power to make sure that she wouldn't be in this again.

The night continued on with Cagalli repeating the same words and with Athrun constantly assuring her that everything would be fine.

-o0o-

Athrun managed to tuck Cagalli to sleep, although it wasn't as easy as he thought, because at first she refused to sleep, also considering the fact that she was still crying and had difficulty in sleeping.

When she did lie down and fallen asleep, after a few minutes she would awake with tears in her eyes and would be sobbing frantically asking if the baby was okay. He would then soothe her by stroking her hair and telling her that everything was alright, that the baby was fine.

Two hours passed without her bolting out of bed and Athrun knew that Cagalli was alright now. He laid his hand on her cheek and caressed it gently. With the state that Cagalli was going under now, he made an oath to himself to never let something like that happen to her again.

The serene look on Cagalli's face made him feel relieved. At last, she wasn't having nightmares anymore. He could sense that she was having a nice dream right now. Maybe she was swimming in a pool of chocolate ice cream with sprinkles.

He also couldn't help but wonder what nightmares she was having a while ago. All he knew was that she kept murmuring that she was scared to die and hoped that the baby would be fine. But there was a time in her sleep wherein she had mumbled two words that startled him greatly.

"_Mommy… Daddy…"_

That was the question that Athrun wanted to ask her for a long time now. Where were her parents? Why didn't she introduce them to him when he already introduced his to hers? Why isn't she talking about them that much?

Then again Cagalli never really mentioned anything about her parents even for once. When he once asked her, the happy look on her face would change into a low-spirited one, so he never bothered to try and ask her again.

Maybe that was why she had a hint of melancholic look on her face during and after they visited his parents. Every time that Leonore would pet Athrun's head and call him her baby boy, Cagalli would laugh, but then there was a subtle look of pain in her eyes that he noticed.

Athrun was thinking that maybe her parents left her and Kira when they were younger? Maybe that was why Cagalli really looked up to Kira with so much respect, like a girl would have to her dad. Or maybe it was because of a different reason.

Could her parents be the reason behind the nightmares that Cagalli would sometimes have? He really wanted to know.

He remembered that he needed to clean the kitchen so with one last look at Cagalli comfortably snuggling in her bed, he went out of the room and went to the kitchen downstairs.

The moment that he reached the kitchen and started cleaning up the plates, he heard the door of Cagalli's house open.

"Cagalli!" Kira was panting when he reached the kitchen. "Thank goodness you're back! I thought you were still in the hospital. The moment I received Mister Number One's call, I immediately hurried back and- oh it's you." There was a hint of disappointment in his last words. Kira stopped talking when he realized that he wasn't talking to his sister and instead talking to Mister Number One.

"Hey." Athrun was cleaning the dishes and didn't even bother looking at him.

"Where's Cagalli? What happened to…" In a matter of seconds, there was apprehension in Kira's tone of voice.

"She's resting in her room. Don't worry, both of them are fine." Athrun closed the faucet and placed the dishes on the side of the sink to dry.

"Really? Thank goodness." Then relief overcame him. He pulled out one chair and sat down. "But, what exactly happened, why did that happen to her anyway?"

"She had a lot of pressure on her in the shop and I may have caused it to worsen." He leaned on the sink and talked to Mister Number Three.

"What did you do?" Kira stared at him; his eyes were starting to be full of rage.

"Well, my ex-girlfriend saw us together and she started to throw a jealous fit. She went showing and pushing Cagalli, even though I tried to stop her from doing so. Before I knew it, Cagalli was already bleeding." He looked down on the floor, feeling guilty as ever. Mister Number Three could punch him if he wanted to and he wouldn't even care, he deserved it anyway. "I'm sorry about that."

"I see…" Kira replied, not knowing what to say next.

"Go ahead."

"What?"

"Go ahead and give me a blow. I don't mind. I deserve it, for letting this happen to her." Kira was surprised that the usual look in Mister Number One's face wasn't there. The typical I'm-better-than-you-in-everything was replaced remorseful once.

Kira went near him and lifted his right arm.

But instead of giving Athrun the blow he had expected, Kira gave him a pat on the shoulders.

"Thanks, man for saving Cagalli and the baby. I owe you one."

"But wasn't I the reason why this happened in the first place?" Athrun didn't understand why Kira wasn't mad at him when he should have been.

"Like you said, she was pressured with the shop and your ex-girlfriend was being envious and all. And if you weren't there to take her to the hospital, the worse could have happened. I don't see why it's your fault." Kira gave him a light smile, which was really unexpected.

Then there was an unperturbed silence that permeated the both of them. Athrun and Kira could finally relax. Cagalli and the baby was alright, there shouldn't be any reason that they were fighting.

"Can I ask you something?" Athrun finally brought the silence to an end.

"What?"

"If you don't mind me asking, where are your parents? I asked Cagalli once but it seemed like she didn't want to talk about it. I'm just curious, because she was mumbling 'Mommy… Daddy…' in her sleep a while ago." He finally let it out. He was really get curious and couldn't keep it in.

Instead of answering, like Athrun had expected. Kira also remained quiet. The look on his eyes was the same as the one he saw when he had asked Cagalli about it. They may not want to talk about it.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me."

"Our parents died when Cagalli and I were still kids."

Athrun didn't know what to say to Kira after hearing that from him. It was the most awkward situation that he had been it. He didn't know whether to say 'I see' or 'I'm sorry'.

"Do you want to hear the rest of the story?" Kira asked him.

Athrun nodded.

_Kira, Cagalli and her parents were driving home after they had their vacation at the beach. It was nighttime already and Cagalli was sleeping peacefully beside him. His parents were laughing about something that he did not have any idea of._

_Kira couldn't help but stare at the window of their car, it was raining. It was a good thing that he and Cagalli got the chance to swim and build sandcastles successfully before it rained._

_Then the rain poured harder and he wasn't able to see what was outside the window._

"_Honey watch out!"_

"_I can't-"_

"_NOOO!"_

_That seem to have awaken Cagalli and they both looked at each other with fear in their eyes._

"We had a car accident on our way back home you see. Mom and Dad died at that very moment, I lost consciousness, but Cagalli didn't. She was awake that whole time…"

_Cagalli was breathing hard now. She didn't know how it happened. She was sleeping at first then she heard her mom screaming about something. Then when she awoke again, she was in this unnerving position. The trees seemed to be upside down._

_And then she saw blood trickling on her face._

_She panicked at the thought of what had happened earlier. She looked to her side and saw Kira, with blood all over his body and was unconscious._

"_Kira! Wake up Kira!" She crawled to reach her brother, but no matter how hard she shook him, he wouldn't wake up. "KIRAAA!" She was crying so hard now. Why wouldn't Kira wake up?_

_Then she turned to look at both of her parents, and she didn't like what she saw. Her dad and mom were also unconscious, but there was more blood in their bodies and the broken glasses from the car was buried in their bodies._

"_Mommy! Daddy!" She shouted to them, but they weren't answering as well. "Mommy!"_

"_Ca… gal… li…" Her mom managed to talk which made Cagalli relieved._

"_Mommy! I'm scared! Kira and Daddy aren't waking up!" She felt hot tears streaming down her face._

"_Thank goodness… You're alright honey…" Those were the last words that her mom said as she lost consciousness._

"_Mommy! No! Wake up! Mommy! No!"_

"So when the rescue team finally found us, they told my aunt that my sister kept crying all the while."

"Then what happened to you?" Athrun asked him.

"I was unconscious for many weeks. Then Cagalli would always visit me in the hospital and cried when I wasn't waking up. My aunt was so kind to take care of her while I was still confined."

So that was why Cagalli was so terrified about what happened earlier. Now he understood why she reacted that way.

"Then when I woke up, Cagalli was there and told me that our parents died long ago. As we hugged each other, we promised that we would take care of each other, that we could handle everything, just as long as we were together. I've never felt closer with Cagalli until that moment." Kira smiled to himself.

"I think I understand it now." Athrun said, barely audible.

"My sister may not show it, but she has a phobia of death… Because of that…"

Athrun wasn't saying anything, and was looking at the floor all the while. He had been looking down for most of the time today.

"I don't know who's going to look after her tomorrow." Kira switched onto a new topic.

"What? Why?"

"I'll be going overseas tomorrow? A business trip yet again." Kira sighed, looking so stressed and all.

"How long?"

"I don't know. Three weeks perhaps? Maybe even more." Kira didn't like the thought of leaving her sister alone, just after the false alarm happened."

"Maybe she can stay at my place."

"Your place?" Kira looked at him disbelievingly. Cagalli was going to live with Mister Number One while he was gone?

"Yes. That way, I could watch over her more carefully while you're gone." He suggested. That was the only solution he could think of.

"Well, I was thinking of letting her stay at Lacus' place." Kira scratched his head, feeling the need to reject Athrun's offer.

"Let me look after her." Athrun said in a tone that was almost pleading, which surprised Kira very much. "I don't want anything like this to happen to her again, and if she lives with me, then I can always have a good eye on her."

"I don't know about that…" Kira still didn't want to say yes.

"I swear I'll look after her like you do, please just let me take care of her while you're gone." His voice was stern, but Kira knew that he was pleading to let him agree.

"Alright."

-o0o-

"Bye Kira." Cagalli gave his brother a hug. "Have a safe trip on your way to Germany."

"You too Cagalli, be safe." Kira returned his sister's hug. "Don't let that ZAFT freak do anything perverted to you while you're staying at his place okay?"

"EAF loser, you speak like I'm not even here." Athrun interrupted the siblings as they embraced each other.

"What do you expect me to say? 'Be all lovey-dovey with Mister Number One while I'm gone.' There's no way in the hell I'm saying that!" Kira pouted and put his arms across his chest.

"Well, you don't know that, you're not going to be here anyway." Athrun smirked and held onto Cagalli's waist.

"Kira, stop worrying." Cagalli smiled at him. "I'll make sure I stay safe from this perverted man." She pointed her finger at Athrun.

"Ouch! You actually think I'm a pervert." Athrun clutched his chest and pretended to be hurt.

"Of course you are." Cagalli laughed at him, Kira started to laugh at him as well.

"Oh well, I have to go now. I'll be late for my flight." Kira entered his car and waved to Cagalli goodbye. "Bye Cagalli! You be careful alright?"

"You too Kira!"

When Cagalli wasn't looking, Athrun and Kira exchanged knowing glances with each other. _"Take good care of her okay?" _Athrun nodded and then Kira went on his way, feeling untroubled. He knew that Cagalli was in good hands.

What Cagalli didn't know was that his brother and Athrun finally got along.

-o0o-

Done! I hope that answers your question about what the dream Cagalli had on Chapter 14 was about! :D

Your review is very much appreciated.


	21. Knight in Shining Red Armor

A/N: Hey everyone! Chapter 21! Summer vacation is almost here so I can update faster! :D

I got another review that supported the AsuMey pairing. :| (The reviewer said that Athrun should leave Cagalli :O and that he should make out with Meyrin… like that will happen!) It drives me off the wall! Rawr. If it's not obvious enough, this is an AsuCaga fic okay? Spare me your flames if it's only about that.

Well anyway, I tried to squeeze in all the requests from the reviews last chapter but forgive me if some characters you requested still didn't show up this chapter! I'll try to put your requested scenes and/or characters in the succeeding chapters. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 21: Knight in Shining Red Armor

-o0o-

"Good morning to you Cagalli-chan!" The old man, who was the owner of the building, greeted Cagalli. It was early in the morning and it seemed like the old man was just passing by to see how everything was doing. He was in his seventies but still was healthy as ever.

"Oyaji! [1] Good morning to you too!" Cagalli enthusiastically greeted him as he had been always nice to her. But she was in wonder at the same time. She thought that Oyaji already agreed to Suoh Tamaki's offer to buy the whole building. What was he still doing here? Scratch that. What were the other tenants doing here? Their shops were still open and still doing businesses.

"I heard what happened to you the other day." The old man went near her and looked at her with relief washing over his face when he saw that the large bulge of Cagalli's stomach was still there. "It's good to know that you're alright."

"Thank you Oyaji." Cagalli smiled at him but still didn't enter the staff entrance of her shop. "I have a question though."

"What is it Cagalli-chan?" Oyaji was starting to walk away, but turned back to her when she called out.

"When will Suoh Tamaki renovate the building? I wasn't able to tell him what my final decision was because, you know…" She paused before continuing. Even when she got the time to rest at Athrun's place, she still hasn't come to a decision on whether to accept or not, but she was inclining to the thought of relocating already, since it was clear to her that she was out of options already. She was only hesitating; purely because of she was just too sentimental about the pastry shop being her first one.

"Oh that rich blonde prince?" Cagalli wanted to laugh at what the old man described him but remained quiet. "He won't be renovating the building anymore." The old man grinned at her, much to Cagalli's glee.

"Really?" Cagalli couldn't hide the feeling of exuberance she was feeling. There she was, all set and ready to give away her first shop, but then here was the old man, saying that Suoh Tamaki may have changed his mind about having his eye on the building.

"Yes really." Oyaji nodded. He knew how hard it was for Cagalli to give away her shop, but now she won't be worrying about doing that any longer.

"That's good to hear then." Cagalli was happy that she didn't have to give the shop away. But still she was curious. "Why did he change his mind about buying the whole building anyway?" She knew she shouldn't be asking that already, but she just wanted to know why.

"Some other guy bought the building from me." The old man chuckled, which made Cagalli's jaw drop. If some other guy bought the building, then he would be renovating it in no time. But before Cagalli could answer him, Oyaji continued. "He said if I sell the building to him, he'd give all the tenants here three months free of rent and forty percent decrease of rent on the succeeding months. Soon enough, all of the tenants wanted to take on his offer. I know you would also like that so I agreed to his proposal."

"Oh…" Cagalli could only say that. That guy must be so freaking generous and rich.

"I even remembered him threatening the rich blonde prince." Oyaji murmured to himself while fingering his mustache all the while. "He was saying 'back off this building' in a scary tone." He chuckled again. "Then that guy must be the richer blue-headed prince. I'm a happy man! I can retire and go travel the world now!"

Before Cagalli could answer him, Oyaji spoke again. "Well, I have to go now. Bye Cagalli-chan!"

"Bye Oyaji." She waved and walked to her shop.

Just wait a damn second.

True enough she stopped in her tracks and realized something.

Did Oyaji just say richer _blue-headed_ prince?

And did he not say that the richer _blue-headed_ prince threatened the rich blonde prince?

She turned to ask him again, but alas the old man was out of sight already. Drat even during his seventies, Oyaji certainly moves like he's still in his thirties.

But she was absolutely sure that it was Athrun.

Athrun was that richer _blue-headed_ prince that Oyaji was talking about, she was certain of that. Well because he was undeniably rich and then she was the only blue-headed person that she knew of, except Leonore.

But how was he able to know about the buyout anyway?

-o0o-

"Cagalli!" A pair of arms enclosed the blonde as she entered the shop. "I'm so glad that you're alright! I hurriedly got a flight back here in Orb when I heard about what happened to you!"

"Shiho!" Cagalli returned her friend's hug. She was amazed that her friend even got the flight back home just to see how she was doing.

"Who even had the nerve to do that to do?" Shiho curled her fists into a ball. "Who's that bitch? I'll give her a piece of my mind and my fist!"

"No need to do that Shiho!" Miriallia interrupted the two of them and also gave Shiho a hug. "I swear it's not even worth your time."

"You're right and – are my eyes fooling me or what?" Shiho was supposed to give Miriallia a reply but noticed what Cagalli was wearing. She was in a dress. A freaking dress for crying out loud! For Cagalli and Shiho, it was a horrid piece of contraption that both of them dreaded to wear, but there Cagalli was, looking comfortable and flimsy in one.

"Holy cow Cagalli!" Shiho covered her mouth in shock. "You're wearing a dress!"

"It's not like that Shiho!" Cagalli tried to deny it. "It's not like I like wearing these kinds of stuff!"

"Oh please!" Miriallia rolled her eyes. "She likes wearing those 'kinds of stuff', if you'd ask me and the staff, she's wearing dresses every single day! And I'm not even joking you know. There was even a day that she wore a pink dress with flower prints. There was another day that she wore a lacey dress!" Miriallia joked. But it was true, her best friend was wearing dresses frequently, well it was partly because Lacus did the liberty of buying for her every time that she got.

"Is that true Cagalli?" Shiho asked her; she still wasn't convinced that her friend was wearing dresses, with flower prints of all prints! "You're such a traitor!"

"But Shiho! It's not my fault! Lacus always takes me to go shopping with her!" Cagalli tried to explain to her friend.

"Oh now you're shopping!" Shiho was more astounded than ever. "Tell me, what did that Athrun do to you? You're so girly now!"

"Athrun isn't doing anything to me!"

"You want to know another trivia Shiho?" Miriallia asked her, and when she nodded Miriallia continued to talk. "Cagalli's living with Athrun now! You could say that the two of them are being more lovey-dovey than ever!"

"If I know, you too are on your way making a twin for your baby." Shiho joked, which caused Miriallia to laugh so hard and Cagalli's face to blush beet red.

"Wait, speaking of Athrun…" Cagalli started to say.

-o0o-

Another busy day at work yet again, Athrun sighed to himself. He just arrived and he instantly felt how busy he would be today. After all, he didn't go to work for a few days to make sure that Cagalli was already fine. Simply thinking of the piles of documents that he needed to look through in his office makes him unmotivated to go to work.

"Lunamaria, I'm transferring you to Yzak's office." Athrun sat down his desk and opened his laptop.

"What? Why are you transferring me there?" Lunamaria hadn't seen Athrun for a few days and now that she finally saw him, here he was, transferring her to another department.

"He needs an assistant there. I think you're fit for the job." He said in a nonchalant tone while he started to type. But really, he just wanted Lunamaria out of his view. After what happened to Cagalli days ago, he was sure that he didn't want to see Lunamaria. If she could have tried to stop her sister, instead of just standing there and watching her, then Cagalli would have been able to avoid that kind of situation. The mere sight of her irritates him to a great extent.

"But why can't he just hire a new one?" Lunamaria tried to protest. She didn't want to be transferred to Yzak's office. That guy would sometimes explode at even some of the trivial matters.

"I told you, I think you're fit to be his assistant." He answered her without even bothering to look at her.

"What about you? You won't have an assistant." She tried to convince him to not transfer her to Yzak's office. First off, she didn't want to be away from Athrun because it was the only time that she had to spent with him and secondly, because she was scared of Yzak and his hotheadedness.

"I'll hire a new one then." He told her. "I think you better hurry up to Yzak's office. You know that he throws a fit when people are tardy."

"Is this about what happened to that blonde that other day?" So she finally realized that. "I'm sorry about not doing anything about Meyrin but this shouldn't be the basis of making me transfer to the other department." She wasn't that stupid, of course Athrun was mad at her, but still. He shouldn't be getting rid of her if it was only for that unattractive blonde girl.

"This is the third time that I'll be telling you this. Listen carefully because I don't like repeating myself." Athrun finally turned to look at his stubborn assistant, which would soon be Yzak's, and spoke. "It's nothing personal." He lied; of course it was something personal. "I told you that you're fit to be his assistant. I'm not demoting you or any like that, your salary won't decrease I assure you that." He was getting impatient already, if Lunamaria still refused to leave; he swore that he would call security to drag her out of his office.

But to his surprise, Lunamaria started to walk out of the office, looking defeated. He was also relieved that she wasn't that hard to convince. It was really something personal but his work would be affected if he kept on talking to Lunamaria like nothing happened. If Lunamaria had put an effort to stop Meyrin into slapping and pushing Cagalli, then maybe now he would even be promoting her and giving her a raise.

Minutes later, when he resumed typing in his laptop, someone entered his office again. If it was Lunamaria being stubborn and all, then he would really call the guards to drag her to Yzak's office.

But no it was Dearka; he was casually leaning by Athrun's door with his arms crossed.

"What are you doing here Elsman? Shouldn't you be working?"

"I was…" Dearka chuckled. "Until I saw Lunamaria carrying boxes of her things around the hallways…" He paused before continuing. "What did you do to her? Did you fire her?"

"I transferred her to Yzak's office." He replied before Dearka could continue saying nonsensical things.

"And why is that?" Dearka had a feeling that the reason why Athrun did that was because of what happened days before but still asked him anyway.

"Because Yzak might need an assistant."

"Might need? So you didn't bother checking if he really needed one?" Dearka raised an eyebrow on him.

"Nope. But I'm sure he'll need one soon enough."

"Are you sure it's just about Yzak needing an assistant or is it because of something else?" He gave Athrun a knowing look. "You know, maybe because of what happened to Cagalli the other day…"

"Fine. I can't stand seeing her here around my office, so I transferred her to the opposite side of the building." He admitted.

"Wow, you really like Cagalli don't you?" Dearka said to him. "To be so affected by the things happening to her…"

"Maybe."

"I think it's not a 'maybe', but a 'yes'." Dearka whispered to himself as he walked away from Athrun's office and went back to his office to work.

But what he didn't know was that Athrun heard him perfectly.

-o0o-

"Hello there Cagalli!" Dearka entered her shop along with Yzak.

"Hi." Yzak also greeted Cagalli, but it was with a lesser enthusiasm that Dearka's voice had.

"Greet her in a more happy tone you twit!" Dearka slapped Yzak's back.

"I AM GREETING HER WITH A HAPPY TONE YOU DUMBASS!" Yzak fumed, he was in a bad mood the whole morning because of what Zala had done and Dearka was making it worse.

"Right. Like that's a happy tone." Dearka pointed out.

When Yzak noticed that all the people in the shop were giving him a peculiar look, his face flushed out of embarrassment. "Hello Cagalli." His voice was tons of times gentler now.

"Dearka! Yzak! Welcome!" Cagalli greeted them but she was looking past the both of them. She waited for another person to come inside, a certain blue-headed prince to be exact.

Dearka immediately sensed that Cagalli was looking at the door. "Athrun's not with us. He's back at the office"

And he wasn't that naïve to notice the disappointment in Cagalli's eyes when he said that.

"I see…"

"But don't worry; the meeting will probably be over soon!" Dearka added, hoping that it would make Cagalli feel better if he said that. "He can still take you home later."

"You're really an idiot." Yzak said to him. "I don't know if you're really comforting her or just making fun of her. Of course the meeting will be over in time for Athrun to fetch her!"

"Hey! There's no need to pour out all your rage on me!" Dearka defended himself. Yzak was really in a bad mood and there was still no sign of his head cooling off. Why oh why did Athrun have to transfer Lunamaria into Yzak's office, of all people?

"It is my fault that I'm so infuriated with my new air-headed assistant?"

"I have to do something in my office." Cagalli ignored the fight that they were having and excused herself from Dearka and Yzak. She wanted to talk to Athrun for hours now. She thought that Athrun would be coming today so she patiently waited. But now that he didn't, Cagalli decided that she would just give him a call.

As she entered the staffroom, Miriallia and Shiho's voices were overpowering the whole room.

"I want to help you guys today!" Shiho insisted. "But I won't wear that hideous thing!"

"Well you can't help if you're not going to wear this!" Miriallia held onto the outfit that she was forcing Shiho to wear. It was the uniform of the waitresses. It was a cute light blue dress that Miriallia designed for them. But what scared Shiho the most was the frills on the hem on the dress.

"But can't I just help with what I'm wearing right now?" Shiho was wearing a loose polo and jeans, which Miriallia thought was too boyish of her.

"Absolutely not! You have to wear this dress! Isn't that right Cagalli?" Miriallia asked Cagalli.

"Yes! Let's make Cagalli decide!" Shiho felt confident that Cagalli would defend her and say that Miriallia shouldn't force her to wear a dress.

"Uhh. Yeah." Cagalli didn't hear what their question was, but she answered anyway, right now, she needed to talk to Athrun. She wanted to know if the blue-headed prince that Oyaji was talking about was him and if it was him, she wanted to know why he did that. "Wait a minute you guys, I just have to make a call." She entered her office, ignoring the whining sounds of Shiho and the laughter of Miriallia outside.

At first she dialed Athrun's phone, but he wasn't answering.

"Why isn't that idiot answering his phone?" Cagalli gave up calling when he didn't answer her call for the fourth time.

Then she remembered that Athrun gave the number to his office just this morning.

She punched the number and waited for a sound from the other line.

_He better answer this._

To her surprise there was no automated voice that greeted her: _"Welcome to ZAFT…"_ or even classical music in the background as she waited for someone to answer. The sex machine gave her the telephone line to his office.

"Hello. You have reached Athrun Zala's line. How may I help you?" A girl's voice answered which disappointed Cagalli a bit. Why wasn't he the one answering his line? Why was a girl answering for him? And why was she feeling jealous?

Hell to the no! She wasn't feeling jealous! She wasn't!

"Hello?" The voice from the other line spoke again.

"Uhm hello, I'd like to speak to Athrun Zala." Cagalli answered her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, President Zala's currently in a board meeting." The girl answered her. "May I ask who this is so I can advise him that you called?"

Cagalli didn't like being rude, but she did something that she deemed impolite.

She hung up the phone on the girl that answered her.

First thing was that she was too shy to even tell the girl who she was. Because to reach Athrun's line meant that the person calling on the other line was an important client or someone like the sort.

And second of all…

The girl called Athrun the 'president'.

President meant that… he was the head of a freaking top corporation!

Athrun Zala… is the president of ZAFT? He's the president of a prominent company, ZAFT fragrances?

Just what the hell? Why didn't he tell her that? It was no wonder he was so damn rich!

She knew that Athrun had a high position in the company, but she didn't know that he was the president! And she refused to believe it.

-o0o-

Shiho was feeling like her two best friends ganged up on her.

She really wanted to help the shop because she wanted to know what it was like working with both of her best friends but Miriallia told her that it was under one condition; she should wear the uniform of the waitresses.

And she thought that Cagalli would side with her, but no, she also thought that she should wear this scary thing! Maybe Athrun Zala was really girlifying [2] her friend up! She still couldn't believe that her friend was wearing dresses everyday!

But there she was, wearing the uniform anyway and serving the table Miriallia's new boyfriend.

"Hi. May I take your order?" Shiho tried to act sweet like the other waitresses but ended up looking like she was going to beat up Mirialla's new boyfriend and the other guy.

"Are you a new girl?" Dearka realized that it wasn't the usual girls that served them when they came here.

"Nope. Just helping around here. I'm Shiho, Cagalli and Miriallia's best friend." She reached out her hand for him to shake.

"Oh hi." Dearka shook her hand. "This one here is Yzak." He elbowed his friend that was beside him, who was still clearly in a bad mood.

"Yo." Yzak shrugged at her.

Shiho got a good look at the guy beside Miriallia's boyfriend, and all she could say was, she found him weird. Well, she found his hair color weird to be precise.

"Just what the hell are you looking at?" Yzak noticed Shiho's eyes boring on him and it was irritating him.

"I'm looking at your hair." Dearka's jaw dropped the moment Shiho said that. Yzak didn't like it when people were paying attention to his hair. But Shiho didn't notice the shocked expression on Dearka's face so she kept on talking. "Is that really your hair's natural color or did you dye that?" Dearka swallowed hard, this girl should stop asking questions about Yzak's hair or he was going to explode, yet again.

"What are you trying to insinuate here?" Yzak was now glaring at the girl. How dare she ask him if he dyed his hair.

"Well, if you dyed your hair, then you must be an avid Lady Gaga [3] fan." Shiho stated.

Dearka thought he heard some strings snap. That may be the strings of Yzak's patience. Oh no.

"Of course my hair is natural woman! Why would I do a stupid thing like dying my hair?" Yzak snapped at her. "And besides, it's none of your damn business anyway!"

It was the first time that anyone shouted at her like that, not even her parents so it made her a bit furious.

"Oh I see, I just had to point that that I find your hair weird, plus your hairstyle." Shiho continued on, while trying to regain her composure.

"Why you b-" Yzak started to stand up but then Dearka stopped him from doing so.

"Dude chill!" Dearka pulled him down. Yzak will never find himself a girlfriend if he's so impatient with girls.

"What is with women today? They're being so freaking annoying!" Yzak huffed as he sat back down.

"If you ask me, you're the one being so annoying, with your hair and all!" Shiho turned her back on him and walked straight back to the staff room.

"Did that woman just-"

"Chill dude." Dearka tried to calm his hot-headed friend.

-o0o-

"Hey Miriallia!" Dearka called out to her. Cagalli, Miriallia and Shiho were outside the shop waiting for their ride. Because Shiho filed a leave, she would be staying at Miriallia's place in the meantime.

"Dearka you're here already!" Miriallia ran to give her boyfriend a hug. "Where's Athrun?"

"Oh, about that…" He turned to Cagalli. "I'll be taking you home tonight. Athrun still has a lot to do back in the office."

"Really?" Cagalli was getting really worried now. Did he miss that much of work when he stayed back home to accompany her?

"Don't worry. He'll be done soon." Dearka comforted her. "He just didn't like it if you'd wait for him alone so he asked me to take you home instead."

"Alright then." Cagalli was disappointed yet again.

"Don't worry!" Dearka assured her. "Just tell me the directions and I'll drive you safely back home!"

"Well it's a good thing your Lady Gaga friend isn't here." Shiho said to him as they got inside the car.

"Lady Gaga friend?" Both Miriallia and Cagalli looked at each other with bewilderment. Who was she talking about?

"She means Yzak." Dearka laughed at what Shiho called him. "The two of them were in a heated conversation a while ago."

"About what?" Miriallia asked him.

"About his hair!" Shiho answered her! "His hair is just so weird! I can't explain it!"

"You're so mean Shiho!" Miriallia laughed at her friend.

"Hey! Don't you all think the same way?" She asked all of her companions inside the car, but all of them shook their heads no.

"Oh by the way…" Cagalli felt the need to switch the topic back to Athrun. "I didn't know that Athrun was the president of ZAFT fragrances."

"What?" Dearka and Miriallia said at the same time.

"The president? So he's the CEO? Or is that just the same?" Shiho was confused with the business terms. "But all I can say is, wow. Your husband is really something…" Shiho whistled. Cagalli hit the jackpot! She was living with a rich CEO!

"He's not my husband!" Cagalli blushed when she heard Shiho say the 'h' word.

"Didn't you know?" Dearka asked her; unable to believe that Cagalli didn't know that he was the president.

"No…" Her voice trailed off. "I just thought he was an high executive officer…"

"Are you serious?" Miriallia laughed at her. "Even I know that he's that president of ZAFT! I can't believe that you didn't know!"

"Wh-what?" Cagalli stuttered. "How did you know that?"

"Well, simply because the 'Z' of ZAFT stands for Zala. Right?" She turned to Dearka and he nodded.

"Yup. Athrun's father, Patrick Zala was the main stockholder during his time. Now Athrun's doing a good job in handling the business and even making ZAFT the number one company in the fragrance industry. Me and Yzak are his underlings. He's our boss, but he's not that bossy. "

Cagalli was really shocked at the revelation. Athrun was the president of ZAFT. She was living with a freaking CEO and she didn't even know of it!

-o0o-

"That should be enough for the day." Athrun Zala said to himself when he finished reading the last of the documents. He closed his laptop shut and proceeded to go home.

The office was so quiet and empty without the people around, except the security guard doing his rounds. He looked at his watch and realized that it was a few minutes passed eleven o clock. No wonder he felt like he was walking in an abandoned hospital. It was already that late.

When he got to his car, he felt someone creeping behind him. He immediately alerted himself, in case it was a burglar or some sort.

Then he felt the shadow behind him tapping his shoulder.

"Athrun?"

He swore it scared the living hell out of him.

He turned to look at who it was, it was Meyrin. It was getting really creepy that she was always waiting for him to finish work.

"What are you doing here in this late hour for Pete's sake?" He asked her as he was still trying to regain his composure.

"I'm sorry if I surprised you." She apologized.

"That doesn't answer my question." He snapped at her while opening the door of his car.

"I waited for you to finish work." She shyly said to him.

"Why?"

"I wanted to know what happened to that blonde girl." Meyrin said to him. She may be a bitch but when she saw blood coming out of the girl, she felt so scared at what might have happened to her. But she wasn't sorry that she called the blonde a bitch and flirt because she really was.

"Oh that reminds me." Athrun closed his door first and walked near her. "Because of what you did to Cagalli, I'm filing a restraining order."

"A what?" Meyrin waited for him to finish work and she expected him to be mad at her, to shout at her but she didn't expect this. But maybe she just heard it wrong. There was no way that Athrun would do that to her.

"You heard me. I'm filing a restraining order so stay away from Cagalli and my baby." His voice became frightening. Meyrin took a step back because the look in his emerald eyes was really menacing. That was the scariest look that she ever saw from him. "I swear if you do something to aggravate Cagalli and our baby, I won't hesitate to press charges against you."

-o0o-

"You're still awake." Athrun opened the lights to the bedroom to find Cagalli sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Of course I am." Cagalli was at ease that Athrun was finally home. She was starting to worry as it got later.

"What's the matter?" Athrun sat down with her and cupped her face. "You're not feeling well? Do you want to eat something?" He asked her, she was craving all sorts of food these days.

"No. I don't want anything." She held his hand that was cupping her cheek. It was so warm. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?" He smiled at her gently.

"Why?"

"Why what?" He looked at her with confusion all over his face.

"Why did you buy the whole building?"

"What building?"

"Don't play stupid with me. I know what you did." Cagalli was starting to get mad. "So why did you buy the whole building?"

Athrun thought that Cagalli wouldn't find out about him buying the building, but then he guessed that the old man told her about it.

The morning that Cagalli moved in to his house, he asked Miriallia to look after her for a few hours because he told them that he had some business to take care of. What the both of them didn't know was that he went to the building where Cagalli's pastry shop was. Surprisingly, Suoh Tamaki was there, talking to the owner of the building.

"_Athrun Zala of ZAFT!" Suoh enthusiastically greeted him. "What brings you here? Do you visit this place often?"_

_Athrun wanted to punch him but refrained himself from doing so. He didn't like to act friendly with Suoh Tamaki so went straight to the point already. "I came here to buy this building."_

_Suoh's eyes widened in surprise but then he laughed. "But you see Athrun, I came here first."_

"_Oh really? Then how much are you offering the old man?" Athrun furrowed his brow in him._

"_That doesn't matter-"_

"_I'll double the price that you're willing to pay him just so I can get this building."_

"_What?" Suoh was still trying to figure out what was going on._

"_Scratch that, I'll triple the price of what you're willing to pay him."_

_Suoh Tamaki let out a smug laugh. "What about the tenants then? I've negotiated with all of them and they are convinced to relocate to a new place."_

"_All of them? I don't think so." Athrun went to the old man. "Hello. I'm Athrun Zala, and I want to buy this building of yours."_

_The old man scratched his head in confusion. "But the young man here…" He looked at Suoh Tamaki._

"_I have been told that not all the tenants here wanted to give away their space. So I'm proposing another offer, I'll triple the amount of what he will pay you for this building. I assure you that the building will not be renovated. I'll also decrease the rent that the tenants have to pay."_

"_You must be crazy." Suoh Tamaki laughed at him. "Just what do you think you're doing?"_

"_I'm telling you to find your own play place." Athrun glared at him. "This one is mine."_

"_What are you going to do if I don't want to?" It seemed like Suoh didn't want to give up._

"_Simple. I'll withdraw all the investments I put in Suoh Group of Companies. I also will talk to the other big companies just so they won't invest in your company. Let's see how you'll deal with that."_

"_You won't do that. Won't you?" Suoh swallowed hard, Athrun Zala was dead serious about this building._

"_I will if you don't back off. You don't know what I'm capable of doing."_

After that heated encounter, Suoh Tamaki gave up the building and it became Athrun's. But Cagalli didn't know that yet.

"I did it for you."

"_For me?"_ Cagalli couldn't believe what she was hearing. Athrun was doing that for her? "But why? Why are you doing all of these? I don't understand why!" She couldn't grasp the reason why Athrun would go to the extent of buying the building just so her pastry shop wouldn't get relocate. She stood up and went near the window. Athrun was crazy…

"Why are you wasting your money for something trivial like that? I could handle it on my own!" Cagalli felt bad that Athrun had to do this for her. She was pacing around the room because she couldn't handle what Athrun was saying to her.

"I can't believe you Athrun!" She still didn't think that she deserved that. "Why did you do that?"

"I'm doing this, because I don't anything to aggravate you! And I'm doing it not because someone told me too! It was my own decision to do that and I'm not regretting it! Do you understand that?" Athrun got a hold of her shoulders; he held her chin and gently pulled it just so she would face him. "When you were sent to the hospital because you were bleeding from stress, I felt so bad that I couldn't protect you and our baby! I felt so bad about it! I didn't know what I would do if the something bad happened to our baby."

Cagalli was rendered speechless after hearing Athrun say that. He was doing this to protect her and the baby? It was uncalled for but she felt some weird sensation when she heard that, the type of sensation that she always felt when she was still with Shinn.

"Cagalli, as long as I'm here, I'll do anything in my power to make sure that nothing bad happens to you ever again. I swear I'll protect you."

Those words that Athrun said to her were like the words that Kira told to her when he awoke from comatose.

"_Cagalli! Cheer up! Daddy and mommy won't be happy in heaven if you keep on crying." Kira comforted her sister that was crying in his bedside. He knew he had to be strong because he was the older brother. "I'm still here. I won't let anything like that happen to us! I swear I'll protect you!"_

"Athrun…" She didn't even notice that hot tears were already flowing down her cheeks. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"Cagalli." He couldn't find the words to say to comfort her so he just enclosed his arms around her and ran his hand through her hair. Cagalli also wrapped his arms around him. She didn't know why, but she felt so safe with him. He was like her soft place to fall on.

"Princesses need knights don't they?" His question was answered by Cagalli's head nodding yes.

The feeling of Cagalli being so secured in his arms and the feeling of him wanting to hold her made him convinced about what Dearka had asked him a while ago. Dearka may think that he didn't hear it but he did. He liked Cagalli. He was sure of that. Well maybe even more than that.

From that moment on, he swore that he would be the knight of Double P.

Red knight to be exact, because his car was red and it was his armor.

-o0o-

Done with Chapter 21! Sorry if it's late! I was trying to post this saturday evening but there kept telling me that there was an error. What did you think of the chapter? Your feedback is very much appreciated!

Again I'll try to put your requests in the next chapter. So it's RnRoR (Read and Review and/or Request!)

Hihi.

See you guys in the next chapter!

Additional Notes:

[1] Oyaji – old man. Haha. I couldn't think of what name I should give him.

[2] I can't think of a more appropriate word other than girlifying. =)) It's not really a word, so I'm inventing it! Yaaay!

[3] Lady Gaga, the singer of Poker Face, Lovegame etc, I do not own her.


	22. Skip Beat

A/N: Hey people! I'm so sorry for the late update! I know I should have posted chapter 22 sooner but I went somewhere over the weekend and I wasn't able to get my hands on a computer. Aside from the fact that it took me two days to finish these, the site kept telling me that there was an error type 2 so I couldn't really post the chapter even though I've already uploaded it on my document manager! But here it is anyway! Hope you'll be able forgive me for posting the chapter this late.

Anyway, it's my summer vacation! \:D/ Hooray! So I may be able to update faster (or not)! :) I also may be able to update my other fics (Meyrin's Attempt, Melody of the Past and Parental Control) as well!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/ Destiny.

Chapter 22: Skip Beat

-o0o-

"I need to get to work." Athrun let out a cough before standing up from the bed, feeling wearier that he did when he was lying down.

"Don't even attempt to get out of bed! I won't let you!" Cagalli blocked his way. "Lie back down Athrun!"

"But Cagalli…" Athrun tried to protest. He really needed to get to the office; he had a very important meeting in an hour and he wasn't even prepared to go to work yet, he was still in his sleepwear.

"Lie back down." Her voice was commanding and it somehow scared Athrun, but he knew he had to convince her to let him go to work.

"I have to go to work. Please?" He pleaded, wishing that Cagalli would let him out of bed and go to his meeting.

"No." Her answer was stern.

"But why?" Athrun felt like a child begging his mother to let him play outside.

"You can't possibly drive your way to work! You're practically burning!" Cagalli laid her hand in his forehead and wouldn't be so surprised if his fever reached forty degrees. "See? Please, rest for today Athrun." Cagalli drew back her hand, she felt like she was held a boiling frying pan.

"I'll take some medicine on my way to the office." Athrun tried to walk ahead of Cagalli but was stopped by her hand clutching onto his clothes. If it were a normal day, he could easily get out of her hold. But then again, it wasn't a normal day; he was feeling faint with every passing second that he stood up, so he couldn't even walk forward no matter how hard he tried.

"You don't even have the strength to walk past me, you know." Cagalli sighed at how persistent Athrun was. "Go back to bed."

It was true that Athrun felt so dizzy that he wanted to lie back down and sleep. With a groan of defeat, Athrun complied and sat down his bed. He punched numbers in his cell phone and called Yzak.

After a few rings, Yzak answered him. "Yo Zala? I'm driving my way to the office. I'll be there in-"

"Yzak, I'm not going to the office today." He cut Yzak off. Cagalli saw Athrun tear his cell phone away from his ear and heard Yzak yapping on how idiotic Athrun was if he wouldn't go to work today, knowing how important today was.

Before Athrun could interrupt Yzak's blabbering, Cagalli got the phone from him. "Look Yzak, Athrun's very sick and he can't even get out of bed, so please spare him from all your shouting." She hung up the receiver and placed Athrun's cell phone on the bedside table.

"But what about you? Who's going to take you to work?" Athrun asked her, since she didn't want him to even stand up, then she would have to take a cab or a train to the pastry shop.

"Silly, of course I'm not going to work. How can I when you're stuck here sick?" She made a 'what-kind-of-question-is-that' face and placed her hands on her waist.

"You're going to stay here?"

"Yes. I'm going to nurse you so you'll get well before you know it!" Cagalli answered him in an enthusiastic tone. She used to nurse Kira before when he was still in the hospital and when he was sick so she knew that taking care of the sex-machine would be a piece of cake.

"Don't do that. You should go to work." He laid down his bed and covered himself with the blanket. He felt really cold and it was nice to have his warm blanket wrapped around his body.

"Are you kidding me Athrun Zala? Of course I'm not going to leave you here." She worriedly caressed his hot forehead. She wasn't expecting his reply; she even thought that he would thank her and even try to joke with her. Maybe he really didn't want her to be busy the whole day by taking care of him. But what the heck, Cagalli wanted to. "Just say yes will you?"

"No, go to work. I'll be fine. I'll just take a medicine and get some rest." He closed his eyes and wished that he would immediately fall asleep.

"Let me take care of you Athrun." Cagalli stated, she was starting to lose her patience.

"Don't." He replied while covering his face with the blanket. "The baby might get sick if you stick close to me. You should go to work so I won't infect you and the baby."

"We won't get sick!" Cagalli countered him. "I take vitamin Cs everyday! I swear we won't get infected."

"Don't be so stubborn Athrun Zala." Cagalli sat down the bed. "I said I'll take care of you didn't I?"

"I said go to work didn't I?" His voice was muffled but Cagalli heard every word and it sure pissed her off.

His obstinacy was making her really infuriated. Why was he rejecting her offer? She reached for his ear and pinched it, hard. "Why you stubborn little-"

"Ooouch!" Athrun bolted up from his bed and winced from the pain as soon as Cagalli let go of his ear. "Why did you do that?" He gently stroked the part that Cagalli laid her hands on.

"I swear if you turn down my goodwill one more time, I'll pound your handsome face!" She shouted at him, but then realized what she said and covered her mouth in embarrassment. "I mean, I'll pound your ugly face!"

He smirked when he saw Cagalli blushing and panicking all the while. "Alright then." He rested his body back on his bed. "I'll behave myself so Double P can take good of me."

"Don't push it Zala. Go get some rest." Cagalli stood up from the bed and went out of the room, leaving Athrun smirking to himself. If Athrun called his Yzak to say that he wasn't going to work, then she should definitely do the same. She took out her cell phone and dialed Miriallia.

"Hey Cags. What's up?" Miriallia answered her and Cagalli could hear the train's boisterous noise in the background.

"Hi Miri." Cagalli scratched her hair before she spoke again. "I'm not going to the pastry shop today."

"Really? Why not?"

"Well it's because, Athrun's sick, so yeah…" Her voice trailed off.

"He's sick? What happened to him?"

She swallowed hard as her mind drifted on what happened a few hours before Athrun got sick.

"_What's the matter? Why aren't you asleep yet?" Athrun asked Cagalli, whose eyes were still wide open._

"_No… It's nothing." Cagalli shook her head but continued to stare hard at the window. She wished she could just sleep already, but she couldn't. "I'll go to sleep now!" She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep._

"_Did you have a nightmare or anything?" Athrun's voice was filled with worry as he peered over her. He knew about her frequent nightmare, and she had to kill Kira for telling Athrun her deepest secret. Even though it was true that she had a hard time sleeping after 'that' nightmare, this time, it wasn't because she dreamt of the nightmare. It was about something else._

_She shook her head no while burying her head deeper in the pillow._

"_What is it then?" Athrun was touching her cheek now. "Tell me."_

_Aside from the craving that she was already having, the look on Athrun's face made it harder to keep it a secret._

"_I want to eat ice cream." She confessed while she covered her face with the blanket to hide the blush on her cheeks._

"_That's it?" Athrun raised his eyebrows at the girl beside him._

"_I'm sorry if this sounds so absurd to you!" Now the blanket covered her whole face. "I really can't sleep! I really need to eat ice cream before I can sleep! Maybe this is the period of pregnancy where women crave for something. Argh I don't know!"_

_Athrun chuckled. He didn't find it absurd or anything of the sort, he actually found it cute._

"_I'll get you some ice cream then. It's a good thing that there's a convenience store just blocks away." He stood up and went to his closet to put on jogging pants._

"_Really?" Cagalli lit up to the thought that Athrun would go to the convenience store. "You're going to drive there?"_

"_Nope. Just walking. I could really use some exercise. I haven't been working out recently. But don't worry. I'll make sure that the ice cream won't melt." Athrun assured her._

"_Thanks Athrun!" Cagalli beamed when she heard that her craving would be satisfied soon enough. But it was also because she didn't have to be the one to go to the convenience store. Even though Athrun said that it 'just blocks away', it wasn't that near. It would take her fifteen minutes to walk there._

"_Well then, off I go!" _

_Minutes after Athrun went out to go to the convenience store; Cagalli heard some splattering on the window._

_This couldn't be happening._

_But it was._

_It was raining._

"_Oh no." Cagalli couldn't believe that it would rain at a time like that. A while ago, when she was looking at the window, there was no sign that it would rain. Now it was pouring hard._

_The rain also seemed to pour harder as every minute passed._

_Athrun didn't bring an umbrella with him. Well of course he wouldn't bring one, because he didn't own one. She even remembered him saying, "Umbrellas are for those who don't own cars!" What a stupid idiot. He could've at least bought an umbrella in case of emergencies like this one._

_Or maybe he should have just used his car. That way he wouldn't get drenched in the rain. But no, he insisted that it was exercise._

_Soon enough, when Athrun came back, he was soaking wet. The ZAFT president came back looking like he was a homeless kid under the rain._

"_Here it is!" He smiled at her while putting the chocolate ice cream on the table. "It rained as soon as I got out of the building, but I ran as fast as I could to reach the convenience store."_

"_Athrun!" Cagalli immediately handed him a towel. "You could've just returned here!" She imagined him soaked as he entered the convenience store and when he returned here while waiting to ride the elevator._

"_What's the point of that?" He chuckled as he got the towel from her. "I don't have an umbrella here so coming back up would be useless."_

"_What I meant was, you should've forgotten about buying the ice cream and returned here! I could have waited until this morning!"_

"_But if I did that, then you wouldn't be able to sleep now wouldn't you?" He walked past her and went inside the washroom to change._

"_You'll catch a cold you dummy!" As grateful as Cagalli was that Athrun took the effort to buy him ice cream, she was just as worried that he would get sick and would not be able to go to work because of it._

"_Of course not!" He chuckled as he changed his clothes. "Being soaked in the rain for a few minutes won't do any harm to me."_

_After he said that, Cagalli heard him sneeze inside the comfort room._

And he told her that a few minutes of being soaked in the rain won't do any harm to him. When she woke up this morning, there Athrun was, lying beside her and had a burning fever.

"Hello Cagalli?" Miriallia's voice cut into her train of thoughts. "Are you listening to me?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear what your question was. What were you saying again?" Cagalli forgot what Miriallia had asked her.

"I'm asking why Athrun's sick." Miriallia laughed at her friend's absentmindedness.

"Err… Uhm… I think it's because he caught a cold, but I don't really know how he got it in the first place." She lied. Miriallia would surely tease her if she told her the real reason on why Athrun was sick.

"Ohhhh. Maybe it's because you're stressing him out, you know? He's always looking after you, even buying the whole building for you." Miriallia joked, but it didn't seem like one to Cagalli.

"You think so?" The guilt started to sink in.

"Of course not!" Miriallia giggled. "I'm just joking Cagalli." But even if she said that, Cagalli now felt that he was bedridden because he was always looking after him. It was all her fault. "I'll just tell Shiho and the others that you won't be able to go to work today okay?" Miriallia continued.

"Okay."

"You take care of Athrun and be all lovey-dovey okay?" Miriallia hung up the phone on her, just in case Cagalli would retort to what she said.

Cagalli went back inside the room and looked at Athrun, who was now sleeping peacefully.

He looked awfully sick.

Now that she taught about it, Athrun wouldn't be sick if only she hadn't told him that she wanted ice cream. He wouldn't go out of the building and get soaked in the rain if she waited until morning to eat ice cream.

Remembering what Miriallia said to her, Athrun was always looking after her. He would check on her on his every lunch break just so he was sure that she ate her lunch properly. He also made sure that she ate breakfast before going to work and that she ate dinner after work. He also never forgot to ask her if she needed and wanted anything, and if she answered him, he would tend to it as soon as possible.

There was even a time that he took a day off at work because he had to accompany her to the doctor. Then after that she saw him staying up late and catching up with his work because he didn't go to his office. He did that for a few nights. Maybe he's sick also because he may be fatigued due to lack of sleep.

He always took her to work on time, so he always woke up earlier than the usual. He always waited for her when she still wasn't prepared. He also waited for her to finish her work in the pastry shop. When she always asked her if he waited for her that long, he would smile at her and nod his head 'no'.

It wasn't only that, but he also bought the whole building of Oyaji so that she wouldn't be so stressed in thinking about whether she should sell her spot to that Suoh Tamaki or not. She knew that it cost him a lot, but he just shrugged it off, telling her to think that buying the building was a new investment for him.

The worst part was that, it seemed to be Athrun that does most of the caring. Scratch that, Athrun really does most of the caring.

While she was the one that Athrun always took care of.

Looking at him, she couldn't help but feel guilty. Athrun was sick, and it was because of her.

Because he cares too much for her.

Even if he was bedridden, he wouldn't even let her look after him because he feared that she and the baby would get infected. He was stubborn because he cared too much for her wellbeing.

But then again, she could make up for it right?

By nursing Athrun to make him feel better again, she could surely make up for the times that he looked after her selflessly.

-o0o-

"Hey Athrun! Athrun! Wake up!" Athrun's eyes deftly opened when he heard Cagalli calling out his name. There she was, sitting on the bed near him and carefully poking him.

"Hi Double P." He sheepishly greeted her while coughing. He was certain that he still had a fever for he felt very lightheaded.

"Let's check your temperature." She put a thermometer inside his mouth while laying her hand on his forehead, it was still hot. "Are you feeling a bit better?"

"I think so." But the cough that he let out after that wasn't convincing.

When she took out the thermometer, she was relieved that his temperature went down a bit. Although it wasn't much, at least he was able to rest. Forcing him to stay at home was really a good idea.

"Here, you should eat." Cagalli assisted Athrun as he tried to sit down.

"You cooked that for me?" A meek smile crept across his features when he saw the bowl of porridge that Cagalli was holding, he couldn't help but feel flattered that she even took the time to cook him that.

"No I bought this from the grocery when I went out a while ago." She answered him, and when he wasn't responding and looked a bit disheartened, she continued. "I'm just kidding Athrun! Of course I cooked this!"

Athrun let out a sigh of relief and gave her another smile. "I feel so moved that you cooked porridge for me. Really, I can't express how happy I feel right now. Thank you Cagalli."

Cagalli didn't know if it was his smile and the way he looked at her on that moment or that humid temperature inside the room because she felt her cheeks getting all warm and flushed. "Wha-what are you talking about idiotic sex-machine? It's just porridge. It might not even taste good."

"Of course it'll taste good." Athrun assured her. "It'll taste good because you're the one who cooked it. And even if it doesn't taste good, I'll still eat all of it because you made it for me."

"Stop flattering me you idiot!" Cagalli gave him a punch on the shoulder while blushing all the while.

"Ouch! You're beating up a sick person Double P." Athrun pouted as he caressed the sore part. "I won't get better if you keep hitting me!"

"That's because you keep doing your sweet-talk you perverted sex-machine!" Cagalli said as she fed him.

"You're feeding me! I really feel so delighted right now."

"You flatterer."

"I'm not. I'm telling the truth." He told her while he ate the porridge. "I'm not lying to you Cagalli."

"Yes, you are lying to me Athrun Zala." Cagalli shyly answered him while handing him a glass of water. "It's not that good."

"I'm not." He laid down the glass of water on the bedside table and told her. "I'm not lying to you. And the porridge is very delicious."

"Stop that." She snapped at him.

There was a brief moment of silence as Cagalli continuously fed him, it was Athrun who broke the quiet atmosphere.

"Do I look like I'm lying to you?" The serious tone and the look in his captivating emerald eyes told Cagalli that he really wasn't just sweet-talking her. That genuine look in his eyes, made her heart skip a beat.

"You're still too sick to even think straight Athrun Zala so you should take your medicine!" She ignored what he just said and handed him the medicine.

"You still don't believe me?" Athrun took the medicine but still didn't let go of what they were talking about.

"It's time to change your clothes!" Cagalli tried to avoid answering him and went to his closet to get him a fresh set of clothes. Athrun didn't know why she didn't believe him, but he really was telling her the truth.

"You have to remove my clothes for me." Athrun told her when she placed the fresh set of clothes on top of the bed. "I can't change my clothes by myself."

"What? Why do I have to remove your clothes? I'm not your nanny!" Cagalli retorted. "Yes you can change your clothes by yourself!"

"But I feel so weak Double P. Can't you at least help me?" Athrun was definitely not feeling well because he was still coughing and his body temperature was still high.

Cagalli was certain that he wasn't lying about feeling so weak, she really had to help him. She sat back down on the bed and handed him his clothes. "Fine I'll help you. But you change the bottom part."

Changing his clothes was very hard for Cagalli. She found it hard to remove and put on his clothes without having to look at him. She didn't know why, but she felt so nervous looking at Athrun's body. She remembered when they were in his mansion, she felt really paranoid that Athrun was removing his clothes when they were alone in his room.

"By the way," Cagalli started to speak when she finished buttoning his clothes. "I'm sorry."

"What are you saying sorry for?" Athrun asked her. He didn't know why Cagalli was even apologizing. Was she sorry for pinching his ear a while ago? Was she sorry for punching him? He really didn't now.

"Well because it's my fault that you're sick. If only I didn't tell you that I wanted to eat ice cream, you wouldn't have been dashing to the convenience store during the pouring rain." She confessed to him. "I know that you have an important meeting today but because you're sick, you can't even go to work and I'm really sorry for letting this happen to you in the first place."

"Cagalli…" Athrun could sense how guilty Cagalli was feeling.

"I feel bad for always causing you trouble Athrun." Cagalli was in the verge of tears but she contained herself from crying. She couldn't cry in front on Athrun while he was in this state, she knew that he would feel worse if she did.

"What are you talking about? Don't apologize." Athrun told her while giving her a warm smile. "You did nothing wrong."

"But-"

"It's okay Cagalli. I wanted to do all those things for you, all of those. You don't need to apologize to me."

"Athrun…"

"Don't worry about me being sick." He assured her. "You'll be here to take care of me right?"

She nodded.

"And besides, you appearing into my life made it worth living, unlike before when I thought of my life as a boring routine of going to work and going back home almost everyday. So please don't say sorry.

Cagalli was utterly speechless. What Athrun said, made her heart skip another beat. She didn't know whether to believe what she was hearing or not. She was actually not causing trouble to Athrun, but rather she was causing him happiness?

But why was he saying these things to her?

"Do you still think I'm lying to you Cagalli?" Athrun got a hold of her cheek and turned it to face him. "Everything I say to you is the truth. I'm sick but I can still think straight you know."

Cagalli held the hand that held her cheek and felt warm all over, and it was not because Athrun was having a fever. Slowly, she nodded her head. "Alright, I think I believe you now."

When he wasn't responding, Cagalli turned to look at why he wasn't and saw Athrun's face slowly nearing hers.

"What are you doing?" Cagalli was inwardly panicking but she didn't know why she didn't shift her face away from Athrun's. She could only look at him in shock as his face went closer to hers. "Athrun!"

"Cagalli…"

"Yes?"

"I... I…"

If she felt her heart skipping beats a while ago, now her heart was thumping as fast as it could. Whatever he was about to say to her, it made her extremely nervous. This sex-machine, if he continued doing this to her, she would get crazy. She knew he always like to tease her by pinning her to the wall or to the bed, always trying to kiss her and hugging her without permission, but this time, he looked really serious. Athrun Zala was damn serious. It wasn't the usual perverted face that she saw when he teases her.

Is this only because he's sick?

Athrun was getting nearer and nearer.

A few millimeters away perhaps?

Cagalli couldn't even do anything to push him away. Not even when she had the strength to.

But really, she didn't want to push him away.

"I…" Athrun continued to speak.

"You what?" Cagalli urged him to continue. If he kept saying 'I', she swore that she would go insane.

"I think I…"

"You?" If only she could also see how red her face already was. But her face felt so hot that she swore that she thought that she was blushing.

But he wasn't able to finish what he was about to say because the next thing Cagalli knew was that Athrun's head went straight from being a few inches from her face to her shoulder. When Cagalli paused for a moment and listened, she actually heard him snoring.

He fell asleep.

"This idiot Athrun, really." Cagalli let out a sigh of relief as she ran her hand through Athrun's hair. As she did, she was thankful that Athrun's face wasn't in close proximity to hers anymore. She didn't know why it made her so nervous a while ago. What was Athrun supposed to say to her anyway?

She didn't know why her heart was beating so much faster a while ago.

-o0o-

Athrun really was handsome, or maybe even beautiful.

Hours after Athrun passed out on her, Cagalli found herself staring at the sleeping form. She didn't know how it happened, but she realized that she had been staring at it for a while now. With the way that she was looking at her, she almost memorized the features on his face.

She brushed a stand of his hair off of his face and stared at his forehead. It seemed pretty big, but it was fine. Just like his other features.

How his eyebrows were aligned in a certain way. How his eyelashes seemed long, like a girls. His nose and how aquiline it was. And his lips, how soft it looked.

Wait a minute.

Why was she staring at his lips?

Cagalli shrugged the thought of his lips and drew near him. Even though she really felt grateful to him and what he always does to help her, she was always too embarrassed to say how thankful she felt. This way, she could say how thankful she was without the need of embarrassing herself.

"Athrun thank you for everything."

"You're welcome."

That scared the heck out of Cagalli. Athrun just responded. Why was he responding? He was very asleep wasn't he? And he was snoring a while ago. That only means…

"You've been awake this whole time?" Cagalli gasped in horror when she realized that Athrun was wide awake for how many minutes now.

Athrun stuck his tongue out before speaking. "Long enough to fell your eyes boring on me." He gave her a wink.

"You…" She couldn't believe this guy.

"It feels so good to have rested. I really feel so much better." He sat up the bed and stretched out his arms. "Did you enjoy staring at my handsome face Double P?"

"You…" She really couldn't believe this guy.

"I was about to open my eyes, but I didn't want to ruin your enjoyment of looking at me." He gave her a smug smile.

And then it was like hell broke loose.

"YOU PERVERTED SEX MACHINE! You're trying mess with me!" Cagalli gold hold of his neck and shook it furiously. "I never shouldn't have nursed you to health you arrogant twit!"

"Hey don't choke me Cagalli! I'm still sick!" Athrun tried to reason out, but it was too late, Cagalli was too mortified when she realized what she had been doing for the past few minutes, admiring his face. "Cagalli! Don't kill me!"

"No you aren't sick! You're perfectly fine now! I don't see the need to nurse you anymore!" Cagalli still didn't pry her hands off of Athrun.

"I was just being polite and saying welcome!" He reasoned out, but it didn't seem like a valid excuse to Cagalli rather it pissed her even more.

"You bastard!"

"I'm sorry Cagalli!" Athrun tried to make her stop strangling him by apologizing, but Cagalli was already far too embarrassed.

And with that, Cagalli was certain that Athrun was back to the joking perverted sex-machine that she knew, unlike the serious guy that he was when he was burning with fever.

But she wondered if he even remembered what he said a while ago.

Maybe not.

But what she didn't know was that, Athrun was really thinking straight a while ago.

-o0o-

Done with chapter 22! Again I'd like to apologize for the late update! I hope this was worth it! :D

Revieww! Your feedback is really really really appreciated!

See you in the next chapter!

Auf Wiedersehen!

No additional notes for this chapter!


	23. A day at the mall

A/N: Hey people! After many times of thinking, I decided that I'm discontinuing this fic... Writing this fic always takes me days so it consumes a lot of my free time. And this summer, I'll be busy with work and all. So there, I'm sorry and I hope you understand where I'm coming from.

I'M KIDDING. Again. HAHAHA. I got you didn't I? Of course I'm not going to discontinue this! Hihi. I'm going to finish this because I'm so in love with it.

Anyway, back to chapter 23! ;)

Chapter 23: A day at the mall

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

-o0o-

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

Twenty minutes.

The door was still not opening.

Miriallia and Shiho sat beside each other as they nervously waited outside the room that Cagalli and Athrun entered minutes ago.

What was taking the two of them so long?

"Argh I can't take this anymore!" Shiho pulled her hair out of irritation and because she was way too anxious already. "Shouldn't they be back by now?"

"Who knows?" Miriallia shrugged. She too, had no idea why they were still inside.

"Maybe we should also go in!" Shiho decided, she stood up and started towards the door.

"Just a sec there Shiho." It was a good thing that Shiho was wearing a jacket, so Miriallia need not stand up. She just reached out and tugged her jacket backwards. "I think we should just wait for them to finish."

"What?" Shiho frowned at hearing what Miriallia just said. "But I'm getting so impatient! What if they're already doing something dirty inside?"

"Relax." Miriallia chuckled. "Athrun's not that kind of guy. And besides, Cagalli's already in her seventh month, they can't do anything dirty even if they wanted to."

"Ewww." Shiho shivered at the thought of that. "I can't even imagine it."

"See?"

The both of them continued to talk about Athrun and Cagalli, not noticing that the door that they awaited to be opened, just did.

"We're back." Cagalli greeted her two best friends as they exited the room.

"Well... What happened?" Miriallia asked the couple that went out.

For a moment, Cagalli didn't respond but rather she looked at Athrun and smiled.

"Tell me! I can't stand waiting for you to stop grinning at Athrun! Tell me already!" Shiho had a hold on Cagalli's shoulders and shook it lightly. She couldn't help it; she was a very impatient person to start with.

"Boy." The word that came out of Cagalli's mouth sent the two girls jumping with so much excitement.

"Congratulations you two!" Miriallia was the first one to snap out of the excitement that she was feeling and gave the blonde an embrace. "I'm happy for you."

"We have to celebrate!" Shiho yelped. "We really have to!"

"Do you have anything in mind on how we should celebrate this?" Athrun's smile also never wavered; he seemed to be pretty excited about this as well.

"I think I may have an idea." Miriallia gave Cagalli and Shiho a knowing look and the both of them became all jumpy and excited. Athrun, who didn't even have an idea of what it was, became nervous.

Just what kind of celebration were these three planning?

-o0o-

"Zala, I can't believe that we agreed to this." Dearka sighed in defeat. "I just really can't believe this."

"I can't believe it either, Elsman." Athrun nodded, feeling subjugated as well. Athrun Zala, the president of ZAFT Fragrance couldn't say or do anything that would change the situation that they were currently in.

"And you freaking idiots decided that it would be better if I tagged along in this escapade." Yzak hissed as he walked alongside Athrun and Dearka.

"That's what friends are for Yzak." Athrun managed to give him a grin despite the chagrin that they were all feeling. "Real friends stick together during times like these."

"The nerve of you two bastards to call yourselves my friends." Yzak crossed his arms on his chest and let out an irritated huff.

"Oh please." Dearka rolled his eyes. "You wanted to tag along because you want to see someone..." His voice trailed off because he didn't continue his sentence. He knew that Yzak would understand what he was trying to say. "Didn't you?"

"What are you talking about?" Yzak's words came out from his mouth fast. "I don't want to see anyone!"

"Stop pretending dude." Dearka teased him all the more.

"Oh come on Yzak." Athrun gave him a smug smile. "You know who we're talking about."

"I really have no idea who you guys are talking about." Yzak avoided the two pairs of eyes that looked at him.

"You want me to spell it out for you?" Dearka raised his eyebrow and started to open his mouth. "It starts with a letter-"

"Shut it you idiot." Yzak nudged Dearka on the stomach before he could even speak. "I'll beat the shit out of you."

"Oh my, I'm so scared." Dearka mocked him. "Yzak Joule's going to slap me in the face!"

Before Yzak could pound his fist on Dearka, he was interrupted by Cagalli's voice. "Athrun, Yzak, Dearka, you three walk like you're walking on the moon! Walk faster!" They saw Cagalli wave as she called out to the three of them.

"Sorry about that Cagalli." Athrun smiled apologetically at her as the three of them walked nearer to Cagalli, Miriallia and Shiho. "We were just talking about something."

"I see..."

"I can't believe that you three are walking too slowly, we're not even halfway done." Miriallia sighed. "We still have a lot more things to buy."

"What?" Dearka was in shock. Did Miriallia say that? Or was he just imagining it? "You have got to be kidding me!"

"We're really not." Miriallia nodded. "There's still a lot of stuff for the baby that we haven't bought yet."

"But you're dragging us three around the mall for almost four hours already!"

The three guys frowned simultaneously, and they really couldn't help it. They could not believe what Miriallia just said to them. They weren't even halfway done, but they were carrying a lot of shopping bags already. Just how many hours do girls need when they shop? The whole day?

After Cagalli's ultrasound, Shiho and Miriallia agreed that they would go shopping for the things that the baby might need. The girls then invited the three of them to tag along, though at first they didn't know why, but looking at the shopping bags that they were carrying, they finally understood the purpose of the three girls inviting them. They were like the girls' bodyguards, following them around and carrying the stuff that they bought.

The shopping bags weren't just the baby's things, but also stuff that the three girls bought for themselves. Whenever they passed by a shop that had 'cute' clothes, Miriallia kept trying on all sorts of clothes and asked them if it looked good on her. Cagalli and Shiho also tried on clothes even if they didn't want to, because Miriallia forced them to.

"Are you serious?" Shiho looked at her watch. It was true; they have been walking around the mall for a long while. "My, I didn't notice the time."

"How ignorant." Yzak couldn't help but comment on what Shiho just said. He didn't know why, but he was fond of saying rude words to Shiho. Maybe it was because she commented that his hair was weird. No one, except for Athrun and Dearka, picked on his hair. Maybe that was the reason behind.

"Shut up Lady Gaga. Why are you even here anyway? I don't remember inviting you here." Shiho raised her eyebrows at him. It was true; she was the one who suggested that they invite Athrun and Dearka along.

"The more the merrier! We invited him along." Dearka rescued Yzak, who was currently in a loss of words. "Didn't we?" He gave Yzak a knowing look.

"Right." He responded, not knowing what excuse to say to her so he went with what Dearka said. "Athrun and Dearka invited me to come along."

"Pathetic Loser. Get a life."

"What did you just say?"

"I said 'Pathetic Loser. Get a life.' Do you want me to spell it out for you?"

"Why you-"

"Anyway, do you guys want to eat first?" Cagalli asked the guys, ignoring the heated conversation Yzak and Shiho were having yet again. "I am kind of hungry now that you reminded me of the time."

"Then we let's eat!" Athrun suggested while pulling Cagalli with him. "What do you like to eat?"

"Uhm, I'm up for anything." Cagalli's face had a tint of red once she realized that she was walking hand in hand with Athrun.

She didn't know if it was only her, but she felt that the people that saw them holding hand in hand gave them uncanny looks.

"Anything?" Athrun looked at her and found it peculiar that she said that she was up for anything. Usually, her mind was decided on what she wanted to eat. "Are you sure?"

"Yes anything." Cagalli tried to pull her hand from Athrun's gentle grip. The thought of their friends and the other people at the mall looking at them while they were holding hands was too embarrassing.

"Are you trying to pull your hand away?" Athrun raised his eyebrows when he noticed the light tug from Cagalli's hands every now and then.

"Wha-" Cagalli stuttered at the realization that it was too obvious. "I'm not. No, not really. Why would I-"

"Yes you are." Athrun insisted.

"I'm not." Cagalli denied it, even though she was trying to.

"Is my hand that gross that you don't want to be in contact with it?" Athrun pouted.

"No, of course not!"

"Then why were you trying to pull away?" Athrun teased her.

"I told you I wasn't!"

"Prove it." Athrun grinned at her. "Don't let go."

And with that, the two of them continued to walk and looked for what restaurant the six of them should eat in, leaving their four other companions behind.

"Will you look at that?" Dearka let out a whistle when he saw what Athrun just did. "Athrun's being all..." He paused for a moment to think about what description should fit the one that he was seeing but couldn't.

"Cheesy?" Shiho continued for him.

"Lovey-dovey?" Miriallia suggested.

"Creepy like the bastard he really is?" Yzak spoke as well.

"I think I'll go with what Shiho and Miriallia said." He chuckled and gave Yzak a pat on the shoulder. The words 'cheesy' and 'lovey-dovey' perfectly fits how Athrun was acting right now.

-o0o-

After the six of them had their late lunch, Athrun, Yzak and Dearka endured three more excruciating hours of walking around mall and carrying the girls' shopping bags. They didn't know what was worse, being stuck in the office and working their asses out or being stuck with the girls while they were shopping. Maybe they preferred the former, at least they were doing something productive.

"I think that's about it." Miriallia told the Shiho and Cagalli, which made the three guys sigh in relief. At last the three of them were done shopping. For the guys, it seemed like they took forever to finish.

This time, instead of being in a fancy restaurant like they did during lunch time, they were trying to save money by eating at a fast food chain. At least Dearka was trying to, because he was the one paying for everything that they were eating. Earlier, he and the three guys had a bet on something, and apparently he was the loser. Yzak and Athrun were being sadists by ordering the most expensive ones on the menu for them and for the girls.

"I can't imagine you girls not being done after buying so much stuff." Dearka looked at the bags underneath their table, the ones that were occupying the three empty seats and imagined those bags that were already in Athrun's car.

"I think we need to put these in the car first." Athrun suggested as he grabbed some bags that were underneath the table. Since he, Dearka and Yzak were finished already, he figured that he would put the other stuff in the car. That way they would get to exercise for eating way too much. He couldn't help but order so much since it was Dearka's treat anyway. "You girls take your time."

"Okay then. Let's go." Yzak and Dearka both grabbed some bags and followed Athrun out of the fast food chain.

"Well, that was a good thing that the boys left us alone." Miriallia said to the girls.

"Yes it really was." Shiho agreed. "Now Cagalli can tell us everything."

"Huh?" Cagalli stopped drinking her juice and looked at the both of them. "What are you talking about?"

"Come on." Miriallia rolled her eyes when her friend acted so innocent.

"Me first," Cagalli started to speak. "Shiho, why do you like picking on Yzak? Even calling her Lady Gaga." It made her curious that her friend would act so rude and snobbish towards Yzak, and what was surprising that Yzak was doing the same.

"Well, the sight of him being so irritated at the petty comments I give him makes me feel so good." She answered her. Truly, she's having so much fun at looked at his annoyed face. "He also looks like he's going to explode every single time."

"Now Shiho answered you." Miriallia cut in, not letting Cagalli escape. "It's your turn Cagalli!"

"Tell us why you and Athrun are being extra sweet!" Yet again, Shiho was getting impatient and told her what she and Miriallia were thinking since they saw Athrun and Cagalli frolicking with their hands intertwined with each other awhile ago.

"What?" Yet again, Cagalli tried to deny it. "We're not being extra sweet!"

"Actually you two were kinda sweet yesterday as well!" Miriallia told her as she remembered how the two of them acted towards each other when they exited Doctor Murrue's room yesterday. She thought that the two of them forgot that she and Shiho were excited to know the results because they were smiling to each other like crazy. It was like the ones that they watched in movies.

"Oh that was nothing." Cagalli tried to shrug the topic off and ate a mouthful of fries so that she could avoid talking.

"Oh really? Athrun's acting way sweeter than the normal.:

"I don't believe you." Shiho scanned her already-nervous face. "Did something happen to the two of you while he was bedridden?"

A blush crept on Cagalli's face when she remembered what happened that day, on how Athrun was so different.

"_Really, I can't express how happy I feel right now. Thank you Cagalli."_

"_Do I look like I'm lying to you?"_

"_Don't apologize."_

_"And besides, you appearing into my life made it worth living, unlike before when I thought of my life as a boring routine of going to work and going back home almost everyday."_

"_I think I..."_

And that moment where Athrun's face was so close to hers.

"Why are you so red now?" Miriallia laughed at her friend. "So it's true. Something happened between the two of you when he was sick."

"Tell us what happened!" Shiho bounced in her seat. "Tell us you did to him! Did you strip his clothes off?"

"Did you get on top of him and kissed him sensuously?" Miriallia added, much to Cagalli's further embarrassment.

"What are you two saying? I didn't do anything to him!" Cagalli almost choked when she heard that. Shiho did not just say that didn't she? She wasn't the type of person that would take advantage of people that were sick! Definitely not. "Geez, your minds are really polluted."

But when she thought about it, technically she was the one that removed Athrun's clothes off, but that was very different from stripping it off his body!

And yes, she went on top of him, but not to kiss him, but because he was strangling him for pretending to be asleep.

"Well, are you going to tell us what happened?" Miriallia snapped her out of her reverie.

"But, nothing really happened." The blonde's laugh was had a nervy tone so it did not convince Miriallia and Shiho.

"Come on!" Shiho gently nudged her shoulder. "We're not going to tell him what you're going to say!"

"It's only a secret between the three of us." Miriallia gave her a wink that unbelievably scared her even more.

"Forget it you two! It's not even interesting!"

"I'm sure it is." Miriallia shook her head in excitement, at last her best friend was starting to open up.

"So what happened when he was sick?" Shiho started to ask her.

"I nursed him obviously."

"Then? That's it?" Shiho frowned, Cagalli was right it wasn't interesting.

"You have to tell us the details!" Miriallia urged her. "I know something happened besides you nursing him!"

"Well, maybe something did! So what?" Cagalli defensively spat out. Yet again, the memories of that day kept popping to her head, which sent her so embarrassed.

"Then you have to tell us!"

Cagalli immediately stood up and got her bag. "I need to buy something from the drug store! I'll be back okay?" After that, she walked briskly to the door.

Before Miriallia and Shiho could even respond to that, Cagalli was out of the fast food chain and walking her way to the drug store.

"That Cagalli." Miriallia laughed when she saw her best friend freak out so much. "She's too shy when it comes to these things."

"We're not going to force her to tell us?" Shiho frowned. The thought of not having a gossip bonding time with Cagalli was disheartening.

"She'll tell us eventually. Trust me."

-o0o-

Cagalli was panting when she reached the drug store, she didn't even run but the weight of her stomach and the hurried walk she had made her a little weary, not to mention that she was walking around the mall for the whole day.

"What to buy?" She said to herself. Because she excused herself from Shiho and Miriallia, not buying anything would lead them to suspect that she was just making an alibi so she could avoid confronting with them.

She circled the drug store and continued to decide on what to buy. She didn't need any vitamins or anything, Athrun bought her that already. Athrun also had a medicine kit at home so there was no need to buy any medicine.

It was a good thing that the drug store had some things like the ones that she finds in groceries, other than medicines and vitamins. Cagalli grabbed a bottle of her favorite strawberry shampoo, remembering that she was running out of shampoo.

She also wanted to get a new bar of soap but she was having difficulty in getting one. The soap was on the very bottom of the aisle. And she perfectly knew that pregnant women shouldn't bend because it was bad for them. She also didn't want to lower herself on the floor; she was wearing a dress for crying out loud!

Or maybe she could just call an employee to get it for her?

But before she could even walk away to tap a random employee on the shoulder, a hand reached for the lavender soap that she was supposed to get and handed it to her. The shock was really evident on her face when she looked at who the person was.

"Here."

It was Shinn.

"Thanks." She expressed her gratitude as got the soap from him, now she didn't need to worry about what she would do to get the soap.

"Isn't that your favorite soap? That Lavender one. You always bought that when we go to the together before." He chuckled bitterly.

"Yes it is." She nodded.

"It's been a long time since I last saw you." Shinn remembered the time that he waited for her outside her pastry shop, but then was brushed off by the blue-haired guy telling him that Cagalli and he had a baby.

"It was, wasn't it?" She agreed. After that heated encounter with Athrun, she never saw Shinn or even find traces of him, which was sort of soothing for her. That way, she avoided being emotional about the break up with him.

"How are you now?" She thought that after her answer, the conversation would be over, but what she didn't know was that Shinn was trying to make their conversation a little longer than the casual hellos.

"I'm fine." She answered timidly as she went to the counter to pay for the shampoo and soap, with Shinn following her.

"Your stomach has gotten bigger." It suddenly slipped out of his mouth and panicked when it did. She might just plant her fist on his face like the old times.

"Of course it will." She laughed at the stupidity of what Shinn just said. Of course it would get bigger. She was in her seventh month now. "Well, I have to go now." She got the plastic bag from the cashier and walked towards the exit. She figured that he would just continuously ask her if she didn't excuse herself.

"Wait Cagalli." Shin called out to her.

"What is it?" She turned around to see her ex-boyfriend right behind her.

"Please, I want you back." He said it with all the courage that he could muster up. At last he finally told her what he felt. He had been doing some thinking lately, when he wasn't seeing even a glimpse of Cagalli. He realized that he was missing her.

He realized that being with Stellar made him miss her all the more. Unlike Cagalli, Stellar was demanding and very clingy. She always asked every minute of his spare time and it was driving him insane. She always got jealous when Shinn would to other girls that she would give them an icy glare and sometimes would tell them to back off. She would get mad at him whenever he failed to return his calls or text messages.

Cagalli, on the other hand, was the perfect girlfriend that any guy could ask for. She was sweet, caring and trusting. She never got jealous when he was out his friends. She would always wait for him to finish with his work and never complained how long it took him. There were also times that she baked him a cake, she was that thoughtful.

He found himself cursing inwardly on how stupid he really was that he replaced the perfect girlfriend with a very clingy one.

Cagalli stared at him hard. She didn't even know what to respond.

"Huh? What are you saying?" She managed to gather some words out of her mouth. Cagalli wasn't sure if she heard Shinn right. Did he just say that he wanted her back? But what about his present girlfriend?

"Being away from you made me miss you like hell. I know I made a really big mistake for cheating on you behind your back Cagalli. And I'm really sorry." Shinn told her. "I really want you back with me. I promise it will never happen again."

"But why?" Cagalli was unable to believe the sincerity of Shinn's words. If he hid his secret relationship for almost a year, she knew that he could do that again to her.

"Because I know that you're the one for me. Cagalli, I won't ever hurt you again." Shinn tried to touch Cagalli's hands but she pulled it farther from his reach. "Cagalli-"

"Stop it." Cagalli wanted to stop Shinn from saying anything further. She was sure that she didn't want to hear it. Not because she was bitter or anything, she does didn't want to hear those words coming from him.

"Why? Don't you believe me? I'm not lying to you Cagalli." Shinn tried to convince her and went near her, whereas Cagalli was trying to get away from him.

When Athrun said the exact same thing when he was sick, Cagalli believed it. Even though she kept punching him and told him that he was a flatterer, she felt that there was honesty in his words. Maybe that was why she had that weird sensation in her chest. But she couldn't tell the same for Shinn's.

"I don't think I want to get back with you anymore..." She said the words that pierced Shinn's heart. "I'm sorry Shinn."

Maybe if he chased her after she ran away from him. Maybe if he asked that question right after he had dumped her. Maybe if he immediately told her how sorry he was by contacting her after she ran from him, then maybe she would have agreed to it. But now, she just didn't imagine herself being together with Shinn anymore. The times that they have spent together for how many years, now seems like a far-off memory. Heck she haven't even thought of him for the past few weeks.

Maybe it was because she met Athrun.

Could she really have gotten over Shinn already?

Shinn saw Cagalli caress her stomach for a little while and concluded that maybe she didn't know what to think because she and that guy already had a baby. "Listen." Shinn cut into her thoughts. "If it's because of that baby, it's okay. I'm not going to force to divide your attention between the two of us."

Silence.

"I'm even going to take care of it like it's my own son! Please Cagalli, can we just start over?"

When Shinn said that he would treat it as his own son, Cagalli immediately pushed the thought of being together with Shinn out of her mind. Shinn could never fill the role of being a father. He was still childish himself.

Unlike Athrun.

Shinn couldn't possibly be that good of a father to their baby boy. He may not take good care of it like Athrun would do.

Only Athrun could be the perfect father for their baby, she perfectly knew that.

Only Athrun, and no one else.

"No. I'm sorry." She rejected him yet again. She didn't have the heart so say anything way offensive so that was the only thing that came out of her mouth.

"But why? I don't understand." Shinn was in awe. Cagalli said no yet again. He couldn't really grasp why Cagalli was making it so hard for him.

Looking at Cagalli's bulging stomach, she figured out that it was not just the baby.

"It's because of him isn't it?" He asked her with pain evident in his voice. Cagalli was saying no to him because of that guy. Just how better was that guy anyway? He was Cagalli's boyfriend for how many years and he was friends with her before that and yet Cagalli chose that guy she's been together with for only months!

But Cagalli still remained silent at this.

"Do you love him?" Shinn was desperate now. Cagalli was acting so cold to him now, and giving him very short and uninterested replies. When her eyes looked at his, he noticed that the loving spark in her eyes when she looked at him before was replaced with a nonchalant and remote stare.

Does she love him?

When Cagalli still wasn't answering him, he went near her and grabbed her shoulders. "Answer me Cagalli! Do you still love him?" But instead of answering, Cagalli turned away from him.

"Hey bastard! Get your hands off Cagalli you ass!" It was Miriallia's voice. Cagalli thought that it would be Athrun that would come to her rescue, but it was her two best friends. Shiho was already tearing Shinn's hands away from her and Miriallia was pulling Cagalli away.

"You guys." Shinn recognized Cagalli's two best friends, and they looked exasperated. It was like they were ready to rip his head out.

"Don't act all friendly with us you cheater!" Shiho hissed at him. "Why are you tormenting our cute Cagalli?"

But even if Shiho was yapping at him, he ignored her and turned back to Cagalli. "Cagalli, do you love him?"

"Cagalli, I think we should leave." Miriallia suggested as she was gently tugged her. "Athrun and the others might be back by now."

How irritating it was on his part to hear that dreaded name.

"Wait a minute." Cagalli stopped walking away from Shinn and faced him. "I just have something to say to him."

"Well?" Shinn asked her yet again. Was she going to answer him now?

"About you question," Cagalli paused for a moment to recollect her thoughts. "I don't know as well. But there's one thing I'm very certain of, Athrun's more important to me now than you are. I'm sorry I really can't get back with you."

If her words a while ago pierced his heart, now it might have pounded it into little pieces.

He lost Cagalli Hibiki forever.

And he only had himself to blame for it.

-o0o-

"There you girls are." Athrun smiled when he saw Cagalli, Miriallia and Shiho walking towards them. "We thought you left without us."

"Of course not!" Miriallia replied. "We just went to the drug store to buy something."

"After the many hours of shopping, you three still aren't done yet?" Yzak rolled his eyes. "I really can't believe girls."

"And I really can't believe that your hair isn't dyed." Shiho snapped at him again.

"What an annoying woman."

"Shut up Poker Face."

"Hey! You two are at it again!" Dearka got in between them to stop the two of them.

"Athrun." Cagalli tugged at Athrun's sleeve.

"Yes?" Athrun smiled at the blonde beside him.

"Let's go home?" She offered, she was feeling tired.

"Okay." He put his arms on her shoulders and they walked back to the parking lot. "We'll catch you guys tomorrow okay?" Athrun didn't bother looking back at their four companions but used his other hand to wave.

She leaned on his shoulder and thought of what she just said to Shinn.

"Well will you look at that." Dearka whistled for the second time when he saw the two of them walking away. "So the saying 'Home is where the heart is' is really true?"

"I think it is." Miriallia nodded.

-o0o-

Tadaaa! Done for this chapter! :) How was it? Review! Your feedback is appreciated.

And yes, I hope you forgive me for pulling another prank at the start of the chapter, I really just couldn't help it. ;)

Yet again, no additional notes for this chapter.

nareiya – about your request... I'm sorry! I still can't let Kira meet Athrun's parents! Maybe in the succeeding chapters! But I'll try!

Goodbye now!


	24. A Week of Solitude

A/N: First of all, my pet fish died so I'm feeling kind of down, which will kind of help this chapter. But to cheer me up, I'll be replying to some of the feedbacks that I received last chapter. So scroll on down for the next chapter if you like to read it already. :D

**Friend of pretty & P** : hey there friends! Kay la lang. :P

**Effie-kun** : Yes I'm going to make a scene about that. Wait for it. ;)

**nareiya **: About Meyrin, I don't really know if she'll still appear in the succeeding chapters? Do you have any ideas? :D

**AsuCaga4ever **: Sorry about that. I kinda forgot your request, but don't worry! Since Shinn was dumped by Cagalli, then he'll be back to Stellar. And then maybe they could have a talk about it.

**yssakae101** : Hey! Thank you, I'm really flattered. Okay, I'll try to read your fic during my free time and give my review.

**LiL sPoIlEd BrAt** : The palpitating joke was from a game in Eat Bulaga. The contestant gave that answer so I was laughing my heart out when I heard that. :D

**yourfan15** : Actually, yeah. I only realized that when I read your review. That was a really stupid mistake. Oops. :P

Hello to the other reviewers as well! **cagaliii**, **, sNaNa, , MizukiSorai, asranZARA, Jodeist, Pri-Chan 1410, CagsZala, mynamehere, hime lala, rebcacca369, Miyu Nanami, AsuCaga Unifamz, survivor18, Starry, Aihsire Atha, Sandyx5, Yoshi, EternalXHaruka, AyameRose**

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 24: A Week of Solitude

-o0o-

The sky was bluer than usual. Or was the sky really like that? It was the first time that she gazed at it for a very long time.

The clouds also took interesting shapes today. There was one that was shaped like a cute puppy that was sleeping. There was another one that took the shape of an ice cream cone, maybe the flavor of the ice cream's vanilla, because the color of the clouds was a fluffy white. She also saw another cloud that looked like starfish. She was really fond of starfishes, whenever she went to a beach; she always went on an adventure to find one.

Starfishes are just so cute.

As she was staring at that certain starfish-shaped cloud, an airplane passed right through it. It didn't deform the shape of the cloud, it only left a hole on it but her attention was turned to the airplane.

An airplane…

"_I wonder if he's okay."_ She pondered to herself as she sighed in boredom.

"Cagalli!" Miriallia kept snapping her fingers to catch Cagalli's attention. "Hello, what is wrong with you?"

"What? What?" Cagalli finally snapped out of her musings and looked at Mirialla and Shiho and was surprised that they was inside the room already and was by her table, she didn't even hear them enter the room. "Haven't you two heard of knocking before entering?" She joked.

"Are you serious?" Miriallia cocked her eyebrow and gave Cagalli a peculiar look. "I kept knocking awhile ago but you weren't even answering, so I went inside."

"Oh…" Cagalli was unable to believe that she didn't even hear her knock. She was that immersed staring into the sky. "Really?"

"Yes." Miriallia nodded. "And you didn't even notice me enter your room, you were so busy daydreaming."

Shiho went near her. "Are you sick or something?" Shiho worriedly touched her forehead, but when it was her normal temperature, she felt relieved. "Nope you're not sick. You're pretty fine."

Cagalli was acting so strange that Miriallia knew that it had to be because of him. "You're thinking about him aren't you?"

When Cagalli didn't respond, the both of them were surprised to see that Cagalli was back to staring out the window.

"CAGALLI!" Shiho yelled. "Stop ignoring us!"

"I'm not ignoring you." That seemed to have switched Cagalli's attention from looking at the window and looked at the both of them.

"So when will he be back?" Miriallia asked her, chuckling all the while.

Shiho knew that she would try to deny it yet again, so she beat Cagalli to it. "And don't you dare say: 'What are you saying? I have no idea what you're talking about' because I swear I'll tickle you to death." Shiho threathened her before she could even try to say those exact words. These two really know her that well.

"I think he'll be back by next week. I don't really know." Cagalli answered them, submitting in defeat. There was no use of denying that she didn't know what they were talking about anyway, these two can read her perfectly like she was an open book.

"One week will pass in no time. Trust me, he'll be back before you know it." Miriallia assured her. "Don't be so down in the dumps! I'm sure he'll be back by New Year."

"And besides…" Shiho added. "Aren't you happy that Kira's back?"

"Of course I am!" Cagalli smiled at them halfheartedly.

"_Yo Cagalli!" Kira's face greeted Cagalli when she opened the door of Athrun's condo._

"_Kira! You're back!" Cagalli excited pounced on her brother. She couldn't help but give her brother a hug. She missed him so much. He was so busy when he was in Germany that he seldom called her. And also, instead of only three weeks, his stay in Germany took him 5 weeks. "You surprised me! I didn't know that you would be back today!" She just woke up and was still in her sleepwear, if Kira had called earlier that he was back, then maybe she would've even fetched him at the airport._

"_Woah. Woah be careful Cagalli." Kira chuckled as he returned his sister's hug. "Sorry about not calling you sis. I wanted to surprise you. You missed me this much?"_

"_Of course I did!" She tightened her hug on Kira._

_When they finally let go of the hug, Cagalli offered Kira to come inside and he agreed. "Some place Mister Number One has." He whistled as he sat down the couch. He wasn't even sarcastic when he did; Athrun's condo was even bigger than their own house. This might even be called a penthouse already. And the couch was also so comfortable to sit on, not to mention that his television set was also the ones that looked so expensive. Kira then turned his attention to Cagalli's stomach which was also big. "Wow it's gotten pretty big."_

"_What did you expect?" Cagalli laughed at her brother's remark and sat beside him. "More than a month has passed you know."_

"_Well, well, well, Mister Number Three's back and even sitting on my couch." The two siblings found Athrun standing by the living area, yawning. He had just woken up._

"_Good morning Athrun." Cagalli smiled at him._

"_Hmph." Kira crossed his arms. "Your couch's not that comfy."_

"_Yeah right." Athrun nodded, but his tone was filled with sarcasm. "Maybe that's why you're sitting so comfortably."_

"_No it's not!" Kira retorted._

"_Yes it is!" The answer didn't even come from Athrun, but from Cagalli, which sent Kira shocked as hell._

"_You're siding with him now?" Kira asked her in horror._

"_I'm not siding with anyone." Cagalli stuck her tongue out. "It's just that, his couch is really comfy. I really like snuggling here; it makes me sleepy in no time."_

"_Whaaat?" Kira jolted up and pointed his finger accusingly on Athrun. "You ZAFT freakazoid let my sister sleep on the couch?"_

_Athrun chuckled at the accusation. "Of course not. She sleeps on the bed…"_

_Kira was starting to calm down when he heard this. At least Athrun was a gentleman that let his sister sleep on the bed and he was the one that slept on the couch. "Oh, I thought that you-"_

"…_with me." He knew that this would drive Kira off the wall so he purposely said it last to provoke him._

"_WHAAAAT?" This time, Kira's voice was louder. He could not believe that the two of them were sleeping on the bed together. They might have been cuddling every single night for five weeks! The thought of that made Kira want to pull his hair off."Why you freak! You're taking advantage of my sister!"_

"_Well, I don't really want to sleep on the couch." Athrun gave him a very smug smile. "And besides, the bed is big for the both of us. I don't get why one of us has to sleep on the couch when we can both sleep comfortably on the bed."_

"_YOU PERVERTED ZAFT FREAK!" Kira wanted to give him a punch but first went to Cagalli's side and asked her. Athrun took advantage of the situation and escaped to the kitchen. "Did Mister Number One do anything to you? Did he touch you in your you-know-what? I mean did he violate you or harass you or threathened you when you attempted to tell me?"_

_Cagalli knew that it wasn't the time to laugh, but she did anyway. Kira's panicked state was so funny. It was amusing how his imagination works. "Kira relax. He didn't do anything perverted to me. And besides, you know that I can defend myself well if he tried to."_

"_That's good to hear then." Kira let out a sigh of relief. And when Cagalli wasn't moving an inch in her seat, he spoke again. "Well what are you waiting for?"_

"_What?" Cagalli also asked him as well, she didn't have an idea on what Kira was talking about._

"_Pack up your things. I'm fetching you." She did not expect Kira to say that. She also mentally slapped herself. Of course Kira would fetch her. The only reason that he let her stay here was because he would be out of the country._

"_That reminds me Cagalli." Athrun came back to the living room with a cup of coffee in his hands. "It's a pretty good timing that your brother is home. I don't have to worry about who's going to take you to your office."_

"_Why are you going somewhere?" Cagalli asked him._

"_As a matter of fact yes." Athrun nodded as he sipped his coffee. "It was on short notice but I'll be going to Spain for a week. I really don't want to go, but they need me there." He pouted childishly. "But I don't really have a choice."_

"_When?"_

"_My flight's later in the evening."_

"_Oh I see. Be safe." She stood up and went to the room to pack up her things._

And Cagalli didn't know why, but at that moment, she felt like her heart was sinking when she heard that.

Today was only the second day that Athrun left, and Cagalli couldn't deny that she missed him terribly.

-o0o-

"You tired from work?" Kira immediately spoke to her sister the moment she went inside his car. Since Athrun was still out of the country, he was the one that was taking Cagalli to and from work.

"Not really." She answered and settled comfortably in the passenger's seat.

"How was it today? Were there many customers?"

"The usual number. It's not jam-packed like yesterday."

"Oh I see…" Whatever it was, Kira was sure that Cagalli wasn't in the mood to talk about work.

And he was right, because she didn't utter a single word after that.

"Cagalli what do you want to eat for dinner?" Kira asked her, breaking the silence between the two of them, they were still currently inside his car, driving from Cagalli's pastry shop. "Do you want to eat in a restaurant or somewhere? Let's also invite Lacus!"

"Hmmm…" Cagalli thought about it for a moment before responding. "I'll think I want to eat at home, if that's okay with you." The matter of the fact was that, she wasn't even hungry and she wanted to go home already.

"Okay then." Kira smiled at her. "Then what do we order for take-out? Or should we just cook by ourselves?"

"It's up to you Kira. I really don't mind." She shrugged.

Kira was sensing something peculiar about her sister in the way she was acting but he couldn't really put his finger on it. The one thing that he was sure of was that when he came back, she was already like this, looking so uninterested in everything that he says. Maybe that Mister Number One did something to her that made her like this. Maybe his instincts were right, what if Mister Number One really said something to her?

Mister Number One…

Maybe Mister Number One did something to her, but it wasn't the kind that he was thinking about.

He tried to analyze why Cagalli was acting like she was. He remembered when he visited Athrun's 'penthouse', Cagalli was still the Cagalli he knew, being all feisty even though she was seven months pregnant. But then when Cagalli left Athrun's 'penthouse', that was when she started to act like that.

Was it because Athrun left the country?

"_Naaah."_ He thought to himself. She couldn't possibly be like that because Athrun left. It was so impossible, well for him anyway.

And if ever the reason that Cagalli was acting so unusual was because of Athrun, which would also mean that Cagalli was…

The four letter word.

The four letter word that starts with 'L'.

The four letter word that ends with 'E'.

"That can't be possible…" Kira unconsciously murmured to himself, not knowing that Cagalli could hear him.

"What can't be possible?" Cagalli turned from the window to look at him.

"Uh…" Kira frantically thought of some excuse to say to Cagalli. "I'm thinking that it's impossible for…" He paused for a moment to think of something to say.

"For what?" Cagalli continued to look at him.

"For High School Musical to have a fourth movie!" [1] Kira finally thought of something, although it was rather stupid. But hey, at least he thought of something else. There was no way that he would tell Cagalli that he even thought of that. "It's really impossible!"

"Huh?" Cagalli looked at her brother with an eerie look on her face. "You were thinking of High School Musical?" She could not believe that her brother was a fan.

"I heard my officemates talk about it awhile ago. Well because they're in college now remember?" Kira laughed nervously. "I mean if they're planning to make a movie about them, it should be 'College Musical', but I really can't imagine all of the students of the movie coming together again because they're in different colleges right? That would be so impossible. Am I right?"

Cagalli gave his brother a blank stare. "Kira, seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about." And she turned back to staring at the window. "Geez, High School Musical…" He heard Cagalli mutter to herself.

He sighed in relief when he actually got out of the situation easier than expected. But it was true, he heard some of his officemates whispering about it in the elevator a while ago.

But looking back at what he was thinking a while ago, maybe the reason why Cagalli was acting strange around him because he was gone for a few weeks and she got used to always being with Athrun.

Maybe that was it.

He hoped.

-o0o-

Athrun got inside his hotel and dumped his briefcase on the couch. What a very busy day. The meetings were non-stop. It seemed like they had a lot to work out on ZAFT Spain, no wonder he was requested to come here.

Damn, the thought that he had to attend another set of meetings from tomorrow till Saturday was making him go ballistic.

He ate the sandwich that he bought from the convenience store awhile ago. He somehow wanted to taste how the cuisine there was like. But he was so hungry that he couldn't wait for the restaurant to serve it to him after many more minutes. Because of how hectic it was in the office, he didn't even have time to eat anything.

He wondered if there was anything that was interesting to watch so he turned on the television and browsed for interesting channels.

But even as interesting as the televisions shows might be, the only problem was that there was a language barrier. He couldn't understand a word they were saying. He felt like a clueless foreigner watching their television shows. He only understood one scene where in the man greeted the woman: "Buenos Tardes mi amigas!"

And it was a good thing that the people in the office knew how to speak English, if not, he didn't know how he would communicate with them.

But what if some employees were cursing him in Spanish? Maybe he should study other foreign languages?

Sighing, he turned off the television when he finished his sandwich. He gave up on the television and went to the bedroom. The bed in the hotel he was staying at was similar to his bed. The white sheets were the almost the same as the ones that were on his bed.

"_Athrun! I want ice cream!"_

He didn't know why but somehow, he imagined Cagalli sitting on the edge of the bed and was making that cute face that she always did when she asked for ice cream.

He got used to Cagalli always by the edge of the bed.

But what he saw now was only an empty bed.

Looking around the room, he realized that he was alone. She wasn't here.

Frankly, he wasn't used to the fact that he wasn't with Cagalli for they were together almost every hour of the day, except for the times that they both go to work, but other than that, the two of them were always together.

He somehow missed her.

He missed Double P.

Pulling out his cell phone from his pocket, he decided to give Cagalli a call. He didn't care if his call was a non-business one or even if the roaming fees would cost him a lot, screw all of that. He just had to hear Cagalli's voice.

Within a few rings, he heard Cagalli's voice on the other line. "Hello?"

"Yo Double P."

"Athrun, hey!" He heard Cagalli's tone change into a more enthusiastic one. It seemed like Cagalli was unable to believe that he called her. "How are you doing there? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry." He answered while he laid down the bed. "Work is hectic here." He sighed again when he thought of the workload that he would be doing tomorrow. "And guess what, it'll be busy again tomorrow. Maybe even worst."

"Really? Wow that sucks. But I don't really need to worry or encourage you because I know you can handle that." Cagalli assured him. It wasn't much but at least her words motivated him a little to go to work.

"Thanks." He smiled to himself. "Did you eat your dinner already?" He figured that it would be dinnertime back in Orb.

"Yup. I ate with Kira and Lacus." She answered him. "Lacus cooked for us since Kira and I both didn't want to cook."

"Really?" Athrun let out a laugh. "I bet your cooking is still better."

"Whatever Athrun." Cagalli stopped him from saying anything more. "What about you? What did you have for dinner?"

"I had a sandwich a little while ago."

"A sandwich? For dinner? But isn't it almost midnight there?"

"Call it a midnight snack." He chuckled. "Everyone back in the office was so busy that I didn't even notice that I haven't eaten dinner already."

"You workaholic." She commented. So why did you call?" She asked him.

"Nothing really." He shook his head, even though Cagalli couldn't see him. "I just wanted to check up on you and our baby. I kind of miss you."

There was first a silence on the other line. Athrun figured that Cagalli must have been blushing, which always happens when he says something of the sort. She easily gets embarrassed of things like these.

"Hello Double P?" He called out to her when the Cagalli's line was still quiet. "Hello Cagalli? Are you still there?"

"What do you still think I'm lying? I'm not." He laughed when she still was speaking. "What? I really miss you and the baby you know."

And then she still wasn't answering.

"Am I just talking to myself or what? Hello Cagalli? Hey, are you still there?" He continued to talk but when there was still dead silence over the other line, he figured that he must've got disconnected with Double P. There must have been some kind of interference. Oh well. But it was rather a wrong timing that the line was disconnected, when he was finally saying that he missed her and all.

He was about to put down his phone when he finally heard Cagalli talk.

"Wait Athrun!"

Athrun was surprised that Cagalli was still on the phone. And he thought that he already got disconnected with her.

"Oh hey, you're still there. I thought you hung up on me already."

"Well, I was still here, but…" He felt the slight uneasiness in Cagalli's voice.

"I'm sorry about that. For saying that, I mean." He knew that Cagalli was uncomfortable whenever he acted like that. No matter how sincere his words might be, Cagalli always takes it as some sort of flattery.

"No it's okay." Her reply actually surprised him, usually she would yell at him for saying those kinds of words to her. He even imagined her shaking her head while saying that.

Before Athrun could even say something in reply, his other phone started to beep. He figured that it would be from a person from the office back in Orb. And when he got the phone, his guess was right. He was kind of annoyed that they called at this time of hour. But then again it would be only a few minutes past eight back there.

"Listen Cagalli, I need to take this call." He apologized to her. "I'm sorry about this."

"It's okay Athrun, go answer your phone." She answered him.

" I'll call you some other time okay?" He put down the phone that he uses for personal use to answer his other phone.

-o0o-

She couldn't hear Athrun's voice anymore, all that was left to hear was the telephone line disconnecting them with an irritating buzz.

She put down her phone on the bedside table and lay down on her bed. It was so frustrating that Athrun had to take that other call; she wanted to talk to him longer. But it couldn't be helped if it was because of work.

She then wondered when Athrun would call her again. When he meant he'll call her some other time, did he mean that he would call her after he took that call? Well most probably not, he would be too sleepy to call her. He needed his rest.

Will he call her tomorrow? Them again maybe not because he said that his work would be busier than today. He might be busy working all day with all the meetings and might be tired. So probably maybe not.

So when will he call her again? She hoped that he would call her soon enough.

She jolted up from her bed when she realized what she was thinking. Was she actually trying to figure out when Athrun would call her again?

She almost pulled her hair out of frustration when it hit her. Whenever she was thinking of Athrun, she would always freak out in some positive way. And she didn't know why it would always be like that...

"_I kind of miss you."_ Athrun's words were playing in her head.

And she also remembered the time that Athrun was sick and when his eyes were boring on her intently that it made her so nervous. That time when she really felt the sincerity of Athrun's words. That was the time when her heart was beating so fast that she even imagined her heart leaping out of her chest.

"_I'm not lying to you."_

It sent her face being all read like it usually is whenever Athrun says those kinds of words. Did he really mean that? Was he really not lying when he said that he missed her? But then again she knew deep inside her that he was telling the truth. And it made her giddy inside.

Athrun…

Why was she thinking about him that frequently since he left?

Could it be that he was the reason behind her mood recently, on why she was always feeling uninterested in everything that she did?

These past few days, when she went to work, all she could ever think about was going home, and when she thought of home, the usual vision that would come to her mind was Athrun's condo. But when it was time for closing of the pastry shop, she would feel kind of upset that it was Kira's car that she sees on the driveway, not Athrun's.

She couldn't even believe that she wasn't used to sleeping in her own room anymore. Even though she had been using this room for as long as she could remember, she felt like she was sleeping in a guest room whenever she entered it. And although she found her bed comfortable, she had a very hard time sleeping.

Maybe she was used to something warm.

Maybe she was used to cuddling with Athrun to go to sleep?

Maybe she got used to Athrun always being beside her?

"Hey Cagalli." Lacus knocked her door. "Don't you want dessert? We have chocolate ice cream downstairs." She knew that Cagalli would jump and dash downstairs if she heard that they had chocolate ice cream.

But Lacus was wrong; Cagalli didn't look like she wanted to eat chocolate ice cream. She didn't even bother standing up. "No it's okay. You two eat dessert without me."

"Are you sure?" Lacus asked her one more time, unable to believe that Cagalli turned down the offer. "It has sprinkles in it." Lacus figured that saying that it had sprinkles would make her go down and eat with them.

"I don't feel like eating ice cream today…"

"Cagalli, is something the matter?" Lacus was getting worried about Cagalli, she had been acting so melancholic since dinner time. During their dinner, she felt like only Kira and her were doing the talking, as Cagalli was so silent and was busy staring at her place. She didn't know whether Cagalli didn't like what she cooked or if she wanted to eat at all. When she asked her, she immediately denied and started to put food into her mouth. Kira also gave her a knowing look to check up on her. So something was really up and she wanted to know what it was.

"No, I'm alright." Cagalli gave the halfhearted smile that she gave Miriallia and Shiho awhile ago and shook her head no. Maybe something was really the matter with her, but whatever it was, she couldn't even explain it.

"Oh come on Cagalli…" Lacus sat down beside her and pleaded her. "Please tell me what's bothering you. Kira and I are starting to worry about you." Then she gave Cagalli a consoling smile. "You know you can tell me everything."

And after that a moment of silence engulfed the two of them, but Lacus patiently waited for her to speak. She knew that Cagalli would start to open up to her soon enough.

"Lacus…" She finally started to speak.

She waited for Cagalli to continue, but then she saw her friend trembling.

"Cagalli, what's the matter?"

"Lacus…" When she looked at Cagalli, she was surprised.

Cagalli's eyes were brimming with tears.

"What's the matter Cagalli?" She repeated her question and tried to comfort her, on whatever her problem might be.

"Lacus..." The tears were now flowing freely from her eyes. "Lacus!" She wrapped her hands around Lacus and started to cry.

"I feel so lonely." Cagalli said in between her tears. "I feel so lonely and I don't even know why." And she was feeling lonely for days now.

"Cagalli, it's okay. It's okay to let it all out." Lacus returned her hug while caressing her hair all the while. She didn't really know what to say to her in this kind of situation so she just let Cagalli cry her heart out.

And what the two of them did not know was that Kira was just outside Cagalli's room, leaning on the wall beside her door, finally realizing that the four-letter word might somehow apply to Cagalli.

Kira was gone for more than a month, but Cagalli didn't seem that dejected at all.

Athrun was gone for a week, and there Cagalli was, crying her heart out, telling Lacus that she felt lonely.

She was feeling lonely, because she wasn't with Athrun. Kira was sure of that.

When Lacus tucked Cagalli in to sleep, she need not say what the matter was to Kira, for he already knew.

-o0o-

"Cagalli wake up!" Cagalli's eyes slowly opened to the bright rays of the sun. Using her palm, she protected her eyes from being blinded by the bright light. Kira opened the curtain wider and shouted. "Hey sis! Wake up!"

Looking at her bedside clock, it was only nine o' clock in the morning. She didn't even know why Kira was making her get up so early. In fact, she wondered why Kira was us so early. "Kira, I'm still sleepy." She covered herself with her pillow and ignored her brother that was walking around her room.

"What?" Kira lifted the sheets from her body which she found annoying. "You have to get up and eat breakfast!"

"Maybe later." She ignored him and buried her face in her pillows. She was still sleepy, she slept late last night.

Well if Cagalli didn't want to get up, Kira thought of a way of making her. "But isn't Athrun's flight back to Orb scheduled today?" Those words made Cagalli jolt out of bed.

"His flight!" She was panicking as she got her phone and checked. Yes it was scheduled today. She almost forgot. "But he won't be back until 12."

"Well of course you have to eat breakfast then take a bath then prepare your stuff." Kira said as he tried to pull Cagalli out of bed.

"Prepare my stuff?" Cagalli yawned while asking him. "What stuff?"

"I'm taking you back to Athrun's place." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What? Why are you taking me back there?" Although Cagalli felt her spirits rose, she couldn't help but wonder why.

"Well, to be frank, I have another business trip later." He pouted. When he saw Cagalli's face turning into a frown, he continued. "But I'll be back in time for New Year! So don't miss me too much okay?"

"Oh I see…"

"So, take a bath and eat your breakfast okay?" With that, Kira went out of her room.

Truth to be told, Kira's flight was still two days away, but he figured that if seeing Athrun would make her sister happy, then so be it.

-o0o-

Done! What do you think of this chapter? :D Your feedback is very much appreciated.

Additional Notes:

[1] Well, that was also the first thing that came into my mind. So forgive me. And oh, I'm not a fan. Just in case you're asking. =))


	25. Sweeter than Chocolate

A/N: Before you start reading the fic, I'd just like to express how ecstatic I am that my fic just reached 500 reviews. I really didn't expect that one coming. :P But now that it did, I'm still unable to believe it. Well, anyway, for those people who made this possible, I'll forever be grateful to you!

And yes, sorry for the late update. Aside from doing a summer job, I had to go to the US embassy for an interview. So yeah. It's been a busy week. :D

nareiya : I finally get to put up your request! :P

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 25: Sweeter than Chocolate

-o0o-

An impetuous sigh, that was almost a growl, could be heard.

It was a few minutes before noon and there Kira was, getting really impatient. He was driving to a place that he didn't even know where for almost two hours now. They sometimes got lost stopped to ask people walking around. He couldn't even believe that he woke up early for this. Well, eight o clock wasn't really that early for a normal person, but for Kira, it was, especially if he didn't even have any work.

"I'm not sure that this is a good idea!" Kira shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he continued driving. "I really think this isn't. Maybe I'll take back my decision about going here… Okay I've changed my mind! Let's turn back now!"

"Whatever Kira!" Cagalli, who was sitting behind Kira, shook her head. "You can't take your decision back anymore! We're almost there!"

"Oh come on Kira!" Lacus, who was in the passenger seat, touched his shoulder to make him calm down. "You're being impatient again! And I'm sure that it'll be fun going there!"

"But where the hell is that ZAFT freak's house anyway? We've been driving around this area for a few minutes now!" Kira scowled in frustration that they were wasting precious and non-renewable fuel, but still that Zala's house was still nowhere in sight. Yes, they were going to Mister Number One's house. Cagalli was invited by Leonore to celebrate the New Year at their house and she also asked Cagalli to bring her brother and girlfriend along.

At first Kira didn't want to accept the invitation because he already planned a little celebration for the three of them, since Lacus' parents were out of the country. But when Lacus heard that they get to see Athrun's house and Miriallia and the gang were also invited, she got so excited that Kira couldn't say no to her when she made her cute pouty face.

"Relax Kira." Cagalli shushed him. "We're almost there." And soon enough, they reached a big gate.

"It seems like their village is very exclusive." Kira commented when he saw the gate. It looked so secured like it was a gate of a palace.

"It's not a village, Kira." Cagalli giggled as she rolled down her window.

"Good morning! Welcome to the Zala manor. May I know your name and purpose of visit?" Klaus' voice could be heard over the intercom.

"Good morning Klaus. It's me Cagalli! We were invited by Aunt Leonore to join their New Year's celebration." Cagalli answered him. Even though Leonore repeatedly requested her to stop calling her 'Madam' and start calling her 'Mom', she found it too embarrassing and decided to call her Aunt instead, which Leonore found better instead of Cagalli calling her 'Madam'.

"Oh Miss Cagalli." Klaus shyly chuckled when he recognized the voice. "Come inside, Madam is so excited to see you." With that, the gates of Athrun's manor opened.

"Wow." Kira whistled in amazement when he saw how extravagant and how wide the grounds were. He only saw their garden but he was already in awe, and Kira wasn't easily impressed. "So this isn't a village?"

"Nope." Cagalli shook her head.

"Then this must be..." Kira couldn't even continue what he was saying because he was too baffled to.

"...Athrun's mansion?" Lacus continued for him, also surprised herself. These were the kinds of houses that super elite people live in. "This is Athrun's mansion?"

"Yeah." Cagalli nodded her head yes.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Kira could only yell at the realization that this large area of land belongs to that Mister Number One. "You have got to be kidding me? Everything that my eyes can see belongs to him? Are you telling me that the ZAFT freak is freaking rich?"

"Well you know, if I was only kidding you, then we would be turning back now while I'm laughing my heart out because you fell for my joke." Cagalli wasn't even surprised that his brother would react that way. She felt that the first time she visited here as well, the only difference was Leonore greeted them as soon as they got down Athrun's car that she had to contain her astonishment.

Lacus also couldn't help but let out a 'wow' the moment that she saw how well-maintained their garden was. With all the roses, her favorite flower, and the other flowers that were blooming so beautifully. There were also statues and fountains that were made of marble. There was also a hedge that was like a maze, and those were sometimes only seen in palaces. "What a nice garden they have here!"

Before Kira could even give another remark about how big Athrun's manor was, they were already in the driveway and a bulk of people was waiting outside to greet them.

When the three of them got out of the car, it wasn't just Leonore, Patrick and Klaus that was there to greet them, but also their other maids and butlers as well.

"Good morning Miss Cagalli, Miss Lacus and Sir Kira!" They greeted in unison that made Kira stagger to Athrun's parents. Like the look in Cagalli's face when she first saw his mansion, Kira gaped at t he house in amazement. He swore he felt his jaw drop. If Athrun were to see him right now, he would be laughing at him because he looked so stupefied. But how wouldn't he be? When he saw the mansion, it was even bigger than the mall.

"Cagalli! At last you're here!" There Leonore was, being so zealous about the fact that Cagalli had arrived. She rushed to the blonde and gave her a hug. "It's really nice to see you!" She let go of the hug and realized how big Cagalli's stomach was. "My! Time sure is fast! Pretty soon your baby boy will be born!"

"Hello Aunt Leonore. It's nice seeing you too." She gave her a smile and also greeted Patrick and Klaus who was standing behind Leonore. "Hello Uncle Patrick, hello Klaus."

"Hello there kiddo." Patrick gave her a pat on the head like she was his little daughter. "Long time no see Cagalli."

"Hello Miss Cagalli." Klaus gave her a gracious bow and proceeded to get her stuff. "I'll help you with these Miss Cagalli." He also went to Kira and Lacus and got their bags. "Hello Sir Kira and Miss Lacus, let me help you with your things as well."

Cagalli then introduced Kira and Lacus, before she forgot. "This is my brother Kira Yamato and his girlfriend Lacus Clyne." She turned to the two of them that were shyly standing behind her.

"Pleased to meet you Mister and Miss Zala." Lacus greeted them with the grace and poise similar to princesses, while extending her hand out to the two of them. "I'm Lacus Clyne." And at that moment, Cagalli swore that Lacus really looked like an aristocrat.

But Leonore ignored the gesture and also enclosed her into a hug. "Hello my dear! My, you're also so pretty like Cagalli over here! Don't call us Mister and Miss! It makes us so comfortable." Leonore giggled.

"No need for formalities." Patrick nodded his head as he agreed with Leonore. "You can call us Uncle and Aunt."

"Uhm…" Kira tried to butt in. "Hello, I'm Kira." Cagalli almost laughed when she saw how nervous Kira was.

"Hi there Kira!" Patrick greeted.

"Hello Kira, we're Athrun's parents." She greeted him. Leonore got intrigued and went to Kira to examine him, which made Kira more anxious. "You look like Cagall's boy version, only with brown hair."

"Shall we all go inside?" Patrick offered them. "Lunch is almost ready."

With a nod, the three guests followed suit.

-o0o-

A chandelier made out of gold and embedded with diamonds.

Walls that have with gold linings.

Paintings by renowned artist that are deemed precious historical artifacts, those that look like they came from an auction.

Displays that have some valuable gem or gold in it and cost a fortune if anyone were to break them.

Curtains and carpets made out of the finest fabric.

Porcelain plates and silver utensils, heavy when you lift them.

Maids and butlers greeting you in every corner you turn.

A swimming pool, a basketball court and a golf course.

Three words: what the hell.

Just what the hell was this mansion? Some kind of castle from a well-known kingdom?

"Will Athrun be here soon?" He heard Lacus talk.

"Athrun's going to be here soon enough." Leonore's voice cut Kira's train of thoughts. "He just had to do something in the office."

Cagalli nodded. If he didn't go to the office today, then he should have been with her, Kira and Lacus when they went there.

"My son's really working hard for the company's sake." Patrick said as he put food on his mouth. "Maybe I made a bad decision of retiring so early? What do you think?" He turned to Leonore for an answer.

Kira didn't respond to that and kept eating instead. He tried his best not to comment on the fact that his parents were giving him so many compliments. _"Working hard my ass! He doesn't look like a workaholic to me. He looks like someone who likes to keep it easy."_ Kira thought to himself all the whilst trying so hard to keep it all to himself. It was a good thing that the food that they served kept his mouth chewing and shut. It was all thanks to the Haianese Chicken.

"Of course not dear!" Leonore assured him then thought about it. "Well, maybe a bit. Our little boy has become such a busy man now. We can't even spend much time with him." Leonore sighed when she thought of her son working almost every day.

"But you can't deny that the performance of the company got extremely better when he replaced me." Patrick remembered the time that he felt so proud of his son when ZAFT Fragrances became the number one, from being the number four in the industry. "And our rank never went down ever since."

Kira almost rolled his eyes when they were talking about Mister Number One and his great skills, but he refrained himself from doing so because he was facing his parents. So Athrun's really good at what he does? He improved the performance of the company? Seriously? Kira was unable to believe that the arrogant freakazoid really had something to be egotistical about.

"Athrun really has a lot on his hands, being the president of the company." Cagalli added, much to Kira's further surprise.

"Wow." Lacus also said. "Athrun really must be skilled to be the president of a company at a very young age."

"Of course he is." Patrick beamed proudly when the pink-haired lady was complimenting his son.

Kira was almost forgetting that he had other companions in the table because of how delicious the chicken was. But the 'p' word made him stop in his tracks and ponder for a moment. He took his glass of water to drink as he took in everything he had heard.

The president?

Did Cagalli really just say that?

Athrun Zala, Mister Number One/ZAFT freakazoid/the arrogant bastard, is the president of ZAFT Fragrances?

No freaking way…

No wonder he easily rejected the proposal that he made and no one even attempt to make a say against it, because he had so much control of the company.

He almost choked on his glass of water when he heard that.

No wait, he really choked.

"Kira, are you okay?" Cagalli noticed the uncomfortable expression in his brother's face. It looked like he was having a hard time breathing, with him patting his chest and all. Then after that, he started to cough really hard.

"What happened to him?" Leonore panicked when he saw Cagalli's brother coughing like someone was strangling him.

"Kira! Kira!" Lacus, who was right beside him, patted him gently on the back. "Are you alright?"

Kira was still coughing and in a loss of words but gave her girlfriend a 'thumbs up' to tell her that he was fine. "I'm sorry about that." He gave a shy chuckle after apologizing to the three other people that were worried about him.

"Here." Lacus handed him, her glass of water, seeing that his was empty already.

"Thanks Lacus." He smiled and got the glass from her.

As they continued eating, Kira couldn't help but say to himself that Athrun's parents were really kind. Even though they just met him and Lacus, they were treating them like they were part of the family already. He couldn't believe that a superbly rich woman would pour tea for him and that a superbly rich man would

Kira found new things about Mister Number One but refrained from acting stunned, even though he was. The ZAFT freakazoid that he always knew seemed to be so different from Patrick and Leonore's eyes, also in Cagalli's as well. The perverted, arrogant and easygoing guy that doesn't seem to take things seriously was actually a really caring, a gentleman and very hardworking.

Cagalli also told them that Athrun would spend countless nights staying up late to finish work. There would also be times that he would ask his friend to take her home because he had to stay in his office to work.

Kira knew that behind his cool façade, there was this different side to him, but he refused to recognize it. At first, he thought that there was no way that Athrun could be that kind of guy, caring and diligent. Because, who wouldn't, if Athrun had gave him a bad impression during the first time they met? And he also seemed like a person who got everything the first time he would try so he never had to exert any effort in anything he does. Kira remembered the tennis match that they had, if Kira wasn't that skilled then Athrun could have possibly beaten him, considering the drastic improvement that took place during the match.

But during the time that Cagalli almost had her miscarriage, he saw that other side of Athrun that his parents see in him. The side that was so caring and concerned about Cagalli's wellbeing that he even was unable to believe it at first. But the affectionate look in his eyes at that moment made him think otherwise. A type of person that tries his hardest to make sure that his sister wouldn't get hurt again.

And other than that, he never failed to make sure that Cagalli wouldn't go home by train, like he promised. He was always there to fetch her or his friend if ever he had something to do. Cagalli also told him that during her stay at his condo, he always ensured that Cagalli always had what she needed, even if it means that he would get soaked in the rain.

-o0o-

"Hello Uncle! Hello Auntie!" Dearka greeted Athrun's parents as he saw them. "It's been a while since I visited!"

"Hello there Dearka!" He gave an acknowledging nod to the blonde that just arrived.

"Dearka! Long time no see!" Leonore gave him a light hug. "So where is the lucky girl?"

"Here she is, meet my girlfriend Miriallia Haw." He stood aside for Leonore to see his current girlfriend, another pretty girl with auburn hair. When Athrun told her that Dearka got himself a new girlfriend, Leonore got excited and immediately asked Dearka to come over for New Year's celebration with her girlfriend.

"Hello dear!" Leonore, being a person that loves to hug people, gave Miriallia a hug, which surprised her. "How are you?"

"Me?" She pointed to herself while feeling stupid that she did. "I'm fine." Miriallia tried to refrain herself from stuttering. She always felt so nervous when she was meeting people like them, the rich kind. "It's nice to finally meet you Mister and Misis Zala!" But it turns out that she had no reason to feel that way. Cagalli was right, Athrun's parents were extremely kind and welcoming.

"Auntie, Miriallia's also Cagalli's best friend." Dearka added, much to the added delight of Leonore.

"Really? That's nice! What a small world we live in!"

"Excuse me," Shiho cut in. "I'm also Cagalli's best friend!" She hated the feeling that she was being ignored.

Dearka wanted to laugh at Shiho's sudden outburst. She really hates being ignored. "This is Shiho, Cagalli's other best friend." He decided to introduce her as well, although he initially thought that Yzak would.

Unlike Miriallia, who was very timid in front of Patrick and Leonore Zala, Shiho didn't even have any hint of intimidation. "Hello Mister and Misis Zala! I'm Shiho Hahnenfuss, it's very nice to meet you!" And of course, Leonore also gave her a hug.

"What an impatient woman." Yzak butted in. "You couldn't wait for Dearka to introduce you to uncle and auntie." He walked past her and greeted the two of them as well. "Long time no see Uncle and Auntie."

"You know, every time you open your mouth, I dislike you even more." Shiho snapped at him again.

"The feeling is mutual." Yzak grunted.

"Can't you think of a more creative comeback?" Shiho raised her eyebrow at the guy she calls Lady Gaga.

Patrick, sensing the tension between the two of them, decided to go in between them. "Let's go inside! Cagalli and the others are inside already." He suggested.

Leonore agreed, Shiho and Yzak looked like they were going to have a catfight soon enough if no one stopped them. "I'm sure they're all waiting for you!"

It was a good thing that Shiho and Yzak complied and went in, they just walked so far from each other and when they glared at each other, Patrick and Leonore swore that they saw electricity in between the two of them.

"My. Why are the two of them fighting with each other?" Leonore asked Dearka and Miriallia when they entered the mansion. She made sure that Patrick was walking far ahead with Yzak and Shiho.

"Well…" Dearka scratched his head as he thought of how he should answer that. "Because they had an argument over something. And they've been like that ever since." It was about Yzak's hair, but Dearka decided to omit that part because Leonore and Patrick might laugh at it as well, which will cause Yzak to be more infuriated.

"I hope they make up soon enough." Leonore pouted. "And be the cute little couple that they are!"

Say what?

Yzak and Shiho make a cute couple?

Miriallia laughed when she heard that, but she contained her laughter to herself. Dearka, on the other hand, laughed as hard as he could, which made the Patrick, Shiho and Yzak turn back to look at him.

"Why?" Leonore didn't understand why the two of them were snickering. "Did I say something wrong?"

"I'm really sorry." Miriallia covered her mouth, but was still laughing. "I just can't stop laughing."

"Auntie." Dearka managed to say in between his laughter. "The two of them… They're not a couple. They're not even close to that."

"Really?" Leonore was shocked that the two of them weren't a couple. "But they look like they are."

"But they might be." Dearka said again. "Soon enough."

"I agree with him." Miriallia told her.

-o0o-

When Athrun entered the family room, he realized that he was the only person missing. There were his parents talking to the guests, Leonore, who was talking with Cagalli, Miriallia, Lacus and Shiho. There was his dad, Yzak, Dearka and Kira, having another conversation. And frankly when he entered, no one noticed him. They must have been really immersed in their own discussions.

When he was standing by the door and no one was stopping to greet him, he decided to talk so he could get their attention. "Hey everyone, I'm so sorry I'm late."

"Oh there's my man!" Dearka stood up and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "When you said that you were going to be late, I didn't know that it would be this late." He chuckled. "I thought you weren't going to show up anymore."

"Wow Zala." Yzak walked up to him and said. "You're back so early." And it was obviously a sarcastic remark.

"Son! Welcome home!" Patrick Zala greeted him.

"Athrun honey!" Leonore, without any further ado, gave him a tight hug, like he was her little boy that got lost at the mall. "What took you so long? You said that you would be here after lunch!" Now she was like a mom scolding her little boy. "Do you know what time is it? It's after dinner time?"

"Sorry mother." He apologized. "I had to finish work."

"So have you eaten dinner already?"

"Not yet."

"You haven't?" Leonore frowned. "Why haven't you eaten yet?"

Athrun got embarrassed that his mother was actually scolding him with something as trivial as that, and it was in front of his friends and Cagalli. He knew it wasn't serious, but still, his mom was still treating him like a grade school boy.

It was a really embarrassing situation; he even saw Sore Loser Number Three was actually snickering. He tried to hide it from the others but Athrun, with his sharp eyes, saw him. Oh how that pissed him off. It was like Mister Number Three was stepping on his pride.

"Little Athy-poo is being scolded by mommy because he went home late." Dearka commented, which sent Athrun's pride crushed like never before.

"Poor Athrun." Shiho added.

"You should eat dinner, then." Cagalli suggested, which sent his mood flying from being so embarrassed to being so pleased. "The food that Aunt Leonore cooked was so delicious."

"Okay…" Athrun nodded, ignoring the rest of the people inside the room. "Do you want to accompany me?"

"Sure!" Cagalli stood up from her place in the comfortable couch and went to Athrun. "And we baked a cake! You're very lucky that we still left one slice for you, even though I wanted to eat it very badly…" Her voice trailed off when she remembered how hard it was to abstain from eating the delicious cake.

"Then let's eat it together." Athrun put his arms around Cagalli's shoulders, like what he did during their trip to the mall. Cagalli also got a hold of him somehow by grasping his waist by the cloth and exited the family room together, which caused a lot of jaws of the people inside the room to drop.

"What the hell just happened?" Kira was snickering a while ago because Mister Number One was getting scolded, but now that his mouth was wide open when he just saw how they acted towards each other.

"Did you just see…" Miriallia was so surprised to even continue her sentence.

"…how the two of them ignored us." So Shiho decided to continue the sentence for her, since she knew it was what Miriallia was meaning to say anyway.

"Apparently we all saw that." Yzak rolled his eyes at what Shiho said, but Shiho was still in a surprise to even retort angrily at him.

"Well, isn't that great?" Patrick clapped his hands in delight.

Leonore turned back to him and smiled. "Of course it is. Athrun and Cagalli are acting so much sweeter since we last saw them. I wonder what happened to them."

"Well that might be because Cagalli spent a few weeks in Athrun's house." Lacus told the group.

"Or maybe the time that he got sick and she was taking really good care of him?" Miriallia added.

"Or maybe the time that they got separated from each other that they missed each other terribly?" Shiho suggested as well.

Leonore giggled when she heard this. "I'm so happy! At last their feelings for each other are blossoming!"

"I want to see them acting so lovey dovey. Let's follow them! What do you all say?" Dearka enthusiastically told them. But then they weren't convinced, so he reasoned out to them. "Don't you want to see the two lovebirds in action?"

"I do! I do!" Shiho jumped excitedly. "Let's follow them!"

"Are you sure that's okay?" Lacus reminded them. "What if they don't want to be observed?"

"Well of course they won't know that we're sort of stalking them." Miriallia convinced her. "So I'm sure it's alright."

"If you say so. Let's go and follow them." Lacus became thrilled that they would be investigating Cagalli's love life.

"Well, I kind of want to see them as well. So I'm coming along." Yzak muttered shyly.

"Well what is everyone waiting for?" Patrick clapped his hands. "Then let's follow them! But we should be hidden so that they won't act awkward towards each other!"

"Kira, aren't you coming along with us?" Leonore was supposed to turn off the lights but then she saw Kira, still sitting on one of the couches.

"Well, maybe not…" Kira got one of the magazines on the rack and pretended to read it. "I think I'll stay here."

"Kira…" Miriallia called out to him. "Stop being bitter about Athrun and Cagalli being so lovey dovey with each other."

"Wha-" Kira stuttered when he heard that. "What are you talking about? I'm not bitter!"

"Oh come on." Dearka rolled his eyes. "The bitter expression is written all over your face!"

"It's not!" Kira tried to deny it. But even though he already accepted the fact of the possibly that Cagalli must have fallen for Athrun, he still couldn't bear to see them acting all lovey dovey, like he and Lacus usually does.

"Come on Kira." Lacus went to him and reached out for his head. "I'm sure it'll be fun."

But Kira still didn't take her hand, he was being too stubborn.

"Please?" When he looked at Lacus again, he saw those angelic eyes of hers that he always found captivating. Those eyes that he loved staring at. That look wherein no matter what she requested him, he couldn't say no.

But this was about that Mister Number One! Anything but that!

"Please?" Lacus pleaded him again.

"Alright." Kira took her hand and they walked to the others.

-o0o-

"Why were you late anyway?" Cagalli asked she and Athrun were in the dining table.

"Well, it was because I had so much work to finish." Athrun said as he chewed his food. "But really I would have gone earlier if I could, the work that needed to be accomplished piled on my desk like crazy."

"That's okay." Cagalli shook her head. "At least you came."

"So what have you been doing the whole day?" Athrun couldn't help but be curious. They certainly couldn't be sitting in the family room the whole day.

"Well, aside from talking with each other, we also went around the house to explore." Cagalli told him. "We were all worried that we would break something you know."

Athrun laughed when he heard that, every guest that went to his house felt that way. "What else did you do?"

"We played cards! It was fun, although I kept on losing." She pouted when she remembered how she always managed to be the loser of every single game.

"You played poker?" Athrun asked her. He knew that she wasn't that good in playing poker because she didn't know how to keep her game face on.

She nodded, which made him chuckle for a bit.

"What else did you do?"

"Hmm… The boys played a little bit of basketball a while and we were baking pastries in the kitchen awhile ago. And oh…" Cagalli's voice trailed off.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry if I messed up your kitchen. I accidentally spilled flour all over the place and now your kitchen looks like it was showered with powder." She sighed.

That's okay. I'm sure mother is fine with it." Athrun assured her. "Anyway, speaking of baking, where's the cake that you baked?"

"Wow, your last sentence rhymed." Cagalli couldn't help but point it out. "You may not like it."

"What do you mean I won't like it?" Athrun raised his eyebrow. "Of course I will. You baked it right? So I know I'll like it." Then he spoke again. "No scratch that, I'll love it."

"You're being biased!" Cagalli stuck her tongue out. "I was the one that least contributed to the baking you know."

"I'm not." He gave her a knowing smile. "You're like that secret ingredient that makes the food taste a lot greater!"

Seconds later, he was shocked that something was making him unable to breath. He realized that it was Cagalli's fingers, pinching his nose.

"You flatterer." She said as she continued to pinch his nose harder every second.

"Cagalli! Ouch! Ouch! Don't pinch my nose Cagalli!" Athrun tried to make her stop but the more that he pleaded the more she pinched it.

"You know Athrun, your voice is so funny." She laughed at him, never letting go of the hold that she had on his nose. "It's like your voice is similar to a rat's squeak." It was true, Athrun's pitch got higher.

"So where's the cake that you baked?" When Cagalli let go of his nose, he first took a few intakes of breath before speaking again.

"It rhymes again!" Cagalli pointed out. "Your sentence, I mean."

"Don't change the topic Double P." Athrun stuck out his tongue. "Come on, give me the cake. I want to taste it."

"You won't like it!" Cagalli insisted.

"Yes I will."

"No you won't!"

"And why not?" Athrun raised his eyebrow at her.

"Because it's a chocolate cake!" Cagalli's spat out. "You don't like chocolates, so I know you won't eat it."

"Oh…" At first Athrun remained quiet at this. It was chocolate, his least favorite food.

"I'm sorry!" Cagalli bowed her head. "I know you don't like chocolate! And we were supposed to make another cake, but yeah I spilled all the flour so there wasn't enough flour to make another one."

"That's okay." Athrun smiled at her. "I don't care if it's a chocolate cake. Let me taste it."

"But didn't you say you hated chocolate?"

"But didn't you hear me when I said that I wanted to taste it?"

"Fine then." She handed him the plate that they covered a while ago. It was really a chocolate cake, everything about it spelled chocolate.

Oh how he hated chocolate.

He remembered the first time that he ate chocolate when he was a kid. His parents finally gave him a bar of chocolate. He was so excited that he ate the bar within a matter of minutes. Because he ate the whole bar, he felt so energetic and started to run around their garden like crazy. Then before he knew it, he fell asleep.

The horror was when he woke up. He was actually having a fine dream of swimming in a pool of chocolate but he woke up to the pain that he felt in his stomach. It looked like he had some 'business' [1] with his toilet. And it pissed him off that for that whole day, he kept coming back to the toilet to do some 'business'.

Not only that, he also had a sore throat when he woke up, not to mention that his tooth was aching.

He swore to himself after that dreadful day, never to eat chocolate.

Call it a conditioned taste aversion [2]. He would never eat chocolate until the day he dies because of that traumatic experience.

When Athrun just kept looking at it, which meant that he didn't want to eat it, Cagalli decided that she would eat it herself. She didn't want the delicious chocolate cake to go to waste.

"Fine. You don't have to force yourself. I'll eat it." She felt disappointed that Athrun didn't eat the chocolate cake, but she expected that.

He couldn't even say anything when Cagalli got the plate from him. He felt bad that even though he said that he would taste it, he still didn't. And Cagalli went through all the effort of baking it. So, in silence, he watched Cagalli take a bite from the cake that they left him.

Cagalli was almost finished eating the cake when suddenly some fireworks exploded, causing her to stagger for a moment. Athrun almost laughed when he saw the cute shocked expression on her face. But then he also saw that she smudged her right cheek with the chocolate icing because of that. The fork might have brushed her cheek.

Just looking at the light blotch of chocolate on her cheek made him feel tempted to do something dirty.

"That shocked me." Cagalli placed her hands on her chest and let out a sigh of relief. "It's not even ten o clock yet."

When Cagalli wasn't responding, she turned to Athrun, who was actually looking at her intently.

"What are you looking at?" Cagalli asked him while giving him a peculiar stare. "Is there something wrong with my face?"

Athrun got hold of her left cheek and gently titled her face so that it would directly face his. "It's nothing."

"What?" Cagalli didn't even have any idea on what was going on. She was too stuttered to even say anything else other than 'what'.

"Don't move." It was more of a command, but it was in a gentler tone.

Cagalli was too much stunned by Athrun's actions to even move, so he need not tell her that. It was like that moment when Athrun was sick, when he was staring at her with that intensity. She felt her heart having faster beats than usual. And her face, of course was also beet red.

She felt her face getting nearer to his. She tried to protest but then she heard Athrun hush her, she gave in, and let all blood rise to her face. She closed her eyes and decided to let Athrun do what he wanted.

Even if she had the gut feeling that he would kiss her.

When Athrun's lips finally landed on her face, it wasn't on her lips, like what she had expected.

But on her cheek.

And it just wasn't a normal smack on the cheek, but Cagalli was sure that she felt something warm.

Holy toast! Athrun was French kissing her cheek!

Then when he finally drew his face away from hers, she saw a smear of chocolate in his lips.

"Athrun?" She felt her cheeks burning, really burning.

He just smirked at her and licked his lips. The chocolate smudge on his lips was now gone.

"I guess chocolate is not that bad after all." He gave her a wink which sent her cheeks even redder than before.

"You… you… you… you…" She wasn't even able to continue what she was about to say.

"Too speechless?" He teased her all the more.

But when he heard some rumbling sound on the door, he realized that they weren't the only people in the dining area.

"Hey, whoever you people are." He started to say. "I know you're listening."

"Bastard!" Kira then emerged from his hiding place to pounce on him. "What the hell did you do to my sister?"

"Oh if it isn't Sore Loser Number Three?" Athrun gave him a smug smile. "Didn't you see it for yourself? Or do I have to do it again?"

"Why you little-" And it took all the people behind him to prevent him from throwing himself at Athrun.

-o0o-

"Hey Athrun!" Dearka called out to him. They were currently in the Zala Garden lighting up fireworks. "Join us here!"

"No it's okay. You all have fun." He decided to be anti-social and sit on one of the benches. He was feeling quite sleepy now.

"It's your loss son!" Patrick was having fun lighting up the fireworks. "You're missing a lot."

"Athrun." Cagalli sat beside him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I am." He said as he massaged his temple. And he felt that Kira was giving him a death glare when Cagalli sat next to him, but he ignored it. "I think I'm just a bit tired."

"Then you should sleep now." Cagalli suggested.

"Nope. I think I'll stay here." Athrun rested on Cagalli's shoulder.

She blushed at Athrun's actions and felt Kira's gaze boring onto them. "Look at Kira." Cagalli pointed. "He sure looks angry."

"He's just jealous." He chuckled.

After that a few moments of silence engulfed the two of them, they were watching the others play with the fireworks.

"Look!" Cagalli was in awe of the fireworks that sparkled in the sky. "It's so beautiful."

Then when Athrun wasn't responding, Cagalli realized that Athrun was snoring lightly.

"Is my Athrun dear asleep?" Leonore went over to the two of them. "He's really so cute!" His sleeping face always reminded her of him when he was a baby.

"He must be really tired." Lacus also went over to have a look at him.

"Athrun looks kind of cute when he's sleeping." Shiho commented.

"Oh I know!" Leonore jumped excitedly. "I'll show you Athrun's baby pictures!"

"Hey. I heard that." They heard Athrun whisper, and the tone of his whisper was actually threatening, the type of voice that a murderer would tell his victim.

"I was just kidding Athrun honey." Leonore laughed nervously as she walked away.

"I want to see Athrun's baby pictures!" Miriallia squealed.

"Don't you dare." Athrun's voice came out frightening again, and the others decided that it would be best to return in enjoying the fireworks. The tone of his voice made them shiver in fear, even Kira and Patrick as well.

"Why don't you want them to see it? Those photos are pretty cute." Cagalli tried to persuade him. But no way in the hell would he allow any other person to see those girly photos of him.

But instead of answering her question, all she got as a response was a muffled: "Happy New Year Cagalli." It wasn't even twelve yet.

Cagalli smiled when Athrun finally got to sleep amidst the noise of the fireworks. He needed that. After all, he was stressing himself a whole lot.

"Happy New Year Athrun."

-o0o-

End of chapter 25! So this is basically just a light and fluffy chapter! What did you think? Your feedback is very much appreciated.

Additional Notes:

[1] By 'business' I think you guys think you know what I mean. :P

[2] For those who don't know what conditioned taste aversion is, it's a psychological term in which a person avoids a certain food because an illness occurs after they ate it, even though the food you ate doesn't have any connection with the illness.


	26. Action or Romantic?

A/N: Hello readers! Chapter 26 is here! And I'm very happy/sad (at the same time) to say that It Just Happened will be ending in a matter of more or less 5 chapters. And also, I'm not sure if I can finish it before May 5, because I'm going on a vacation for three weeks and I might not be able to update during the duration of the trip. So, if the fic is still incomplete by May 5, expect my next update to be on the last week of May, Probably around May 28-30. (I know it's a very excruciating long wait! :O) :D But I'll really try my best to find time during the trip to write the remaining chapters left, even if I manage to write only one chapter. So you better inspire me! Lol just kidding. :P

Anyway, enough of that, back to chapter 26!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 26: Action or Romantic?

-o0o-

It was January 1, the start of the New Year. The sky was still misty from all the fireworks that lit up last night. But in spite of that, the weather was great, the wind was giving off a cool breeze even though the sun was shining so brightly and the birds were chirping happily like they were also rejoicing the New Year.

The warm rays of the sun seeped through the windows of Athrun Zala's room, into his closed eyelids. While using his left hand to cover his eyes from the brightness of the sun, he yawned slowly. He really hated it when his mother opened his curtains every morning. Because the sun rose in the direction of his room, he was frequently awakened by the sunlight trying to blind his eyes. But why was his mother in his condo anyway?

He sat up and looked at the surroundings. His bedroom got bigger, and there were a lot of things from their house that was in his condo. Thick books from high school and college were aligned on the shelves of his study table, but he had no idea how the table got there. Posters of his favorite basketball players were glued on the wall. He also was clueless on how it got pasted there. The prints of the sheets of his bed, were some of the superheroes from the Marvel Comics, it wasn't the plain white sheets that he always slept on.

Then the realization hit him. He wasn't in his condo at all. He was in his house, in his room to be more precise.

"Of course, we celebrated the New Year." He scratched his head when he remembered why he was there in the first place. He didn't even know how he got into his room. He recalled being in the garden with Cagalli then falling asleep. Perhaps they dragged him here to his room? Or his father and Klaus helped each other to carry him here. He really doesn't know.

But what he does know is that he wanted to have more sleep. With heavy footsteps, he strode to where his windows were and quickly draped the curtains to cover the sunlight. After blocking the bright light, he sped to his bed to get a few more hours of sleep. He presumed that Cagalli and the others would still be in bed since they slept later than him.

Before he could even be back in dreamland, he heard the door to his bedroom open. He was too lazy and still to sleepy to open his eyes to check who it was. It was most probably his mother, bugging him to wake up already.

"Athrun's still asleep?" He heard a very familiar voice murmur to herself. "He's such a retarded sleeping pill." [1]

"I heard that." Athrun responded in a very audible voice.

"Oh. I see that you closed the windows." The other person in the room sat on the bed and was trying to pry the pillow from him. "You should wake up now!"

"No." He gripped the pillow hard. Athrun's strength was still no match for the person that was trying to remove the pillow that his head was resting on. "I'm still sleepy."

"Oh come on Athrun!" Seconds later the dim room was lightened up again. "Wake up! Everyone's awake but you!" Then he felt pillows hitting him. "Wake up Athrun! Wake up!"

"Alright I'll wake up." He frowned while he sat up. "Stop hitting me with those pillows; it can be bad for you and the baby."

"Okay I'll stop." Cagalli laughed while she tossed the pillow back to the bed. "Good morning Athrun!"

"Good morning Double P." He groggily yawned while he greeted the blonde that was wearing a cute light green dress. So that was why she was in the bathroom, she just took a shower.

"How was your sleep?" She asked him.

"It was fine." He answered her. True enough, he felt like that was the longest and most comfortable sleep that he had for days.

"It was so funny the way you walked here." Cagalli then giggled.

"Why? How did I get here anyway?'

"Well, we made you walk your way here, I swear Athrun, and you were like a drunken guy. With your eyes closed and all…" She laughed at the memory of the struggle of making Athrun walk to the bedroom.

"Where did you sleep?"

"Uncle Patrick and Aunt Leonore wanted me to sleep here beside you while Kira hated the idea badly and wanted me to sleep with Lacus, Miriallia and Shiho, but since the three of them said that they didn't have any more space for in the big guest room and your room was bigger…" She rolled her eyes. They were just looking for an excuse to make Cagalli sleep with Athrun. The guest room wasn't as nig as Athrun's room, but it was sufficient enough to fit the four of them."…so I slept beside you."

Cagalli wasn't sure if Athrun was even listening to her when she said that, because he wasn't responding. And from the looks of it, Athrun could be seen staring at her. Was it because of the new dress that Lacus bought for her?

When he wasn't responding after a few seconds, Cagalli started to feel so uneasy about the dress and starting to think of changing into another one.

"Athrun." She swallowed hard when she opened her mouth. "Is something wrong with the dress? I'll change if it doesn't look good on me."

He nodded his head no and laid back down the bed.

"Then what were you looking at?" Cagalli asked him.

"I was just looking at your breasts." The fact that he was still sleepy might have affected his bluntness, for if it were just a normal day, he wouldn't be saying those kinds of things. "I think it's gotten much bigger since the last time I saw them."

Cagalli's mouth was wide open from the moment that Athrun's words sunk in. Using her arms, she covered the area of her chest and blushed furiously.

"I wonder if it'll get even bigger." Athrun continued, sending Cagalli to be even more embarrassed.

Cagalli was easily embarrassed by things like those. She couldn't believe that the sex machine was saying those things out of the blue. If last night, her cheeks were burning a lot, then this would beat that all-time record. And when her embarrassment meter was in its maximum, Cagalli would lose it, like the time that Athrun was sick.

"You perverted sex-machine!" Before Athrun knew it, there Cagalli was, strangling him yet again. The worst part was he couldn't escape it because she was on top of him. "Your mind is full of dirty things! Saying those things all of sudden."

"I was… just… cho… king… Ca… ga… lli." Athrun would have said that he was only' joking', but in the situation they were in, all he could think of was choking. "Just… choking…"

"I don't believe you!" Cagalli started hitting him the chest as well, she was far too embarrassed to even realize what she was doing. "You always try to push my buttons! Athrun Zala of ZAFT! You always… always!"

"I'm… not!" Athrun tried to defend himself, but it was useless. Cagalli wasn't thinking straight anymore. Well it was certainly his fault.

Note to self, never try to provoke a pregnant woman.

Athrun would have been out of breath if he wasn't rescued by snooping people in the house. As Cagalli continued to strangle him all the while being the one on top, Dearka and Yzak, along with the others, decided that it would be best if they were the ones to wake Athrun up!

"Athrun wake up you sleep-" Dearka stopped in the middle of his sentence when he saw the sight in front of him. There Athrun was, looking all haggard while Cagalli, the one on top of him, was looking so red.

"Oh my…" Shiho covered her face in embarrassment.

"Zala…" Yzak's jaw dropped. "Just what are you two doing?"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! YOU TWO ARE STILL TRYING TO HAVE TWINS? IS THAT IT?" Kira yelled in shock. He really couldn't believe what he was seeing. It really looked like Cagalli was initiating the deed. Scratch that, Cagalli was really initiating the deed. And he thought that Athrun was the perverted sex machine here.

"Kira! Calm down!" Cagalli removed her hands from Athrun and flailed her arms around in panic. "It's not what you think it is!"

"THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU ON TOP OF HIM? WHY IS HIS HAIR SO DISHEVLED? WHY HIS POLO KIND OF UNBUTTONED? WHY ARE YOU ALL RED?" The words came spitting out of his mouth, the others realized that Kira was hyperventilating.

"Calm down Kira." Lacus tried to cool her boyfriend down, although she was just as surprised, she was just better at hiding it. "I'm sure there's an explanation for this." She held Kira from running towards the couple on the bed.

"Of course there is!" Cagalli was still panicking when she saw that Patrick and Leonore also appeared by the door.

"Then explain to us then!" Miriallia also wanted to know. When Cagalli said that she would wake Athrun up, she didn't know that she woke him up in this kind of method.

"It's… It's because… because…" Cagalli stuttered for her words, but couldn't say the reason out loud.

Athrun, who was still in a daze, partly because he was sleepy and partly because he almost ran out of breath, just laid there and relied on Cagalli to explain everything to them.

"Well?" Kira and Miriallia waited for her answer. But they also found it awkward that Cagalli still wasn't getting off Athrun.

"Come on people." Patrick, being the cool dad he is, stepped in between. "Let's have them explain later. I'm sure they're not done yet." He smirked at the couple. "Well, let's go?" With that the group that was already inside Athrun's room started to back out and walk away.

"But, but…" Kira protested. He refused to move. He couldn't afford to wait any longer.

"Let's go Kira!" Leonore called out to him. "Come on, leave the two lovers alone." She knew that he would be the hardest to convince.

Kira would have said no, but went anyway. But before that, he gave Athrun a killer glare. If it were another person, they would surely feel frightened, but then again, it was Athrun Zala of ZAFT.

When all of them, except Patrick, were out of sight, he turned to Cagalli and said. "Make sure that you lock the door when you two are doing your lovey dovey stuff." He gave them a wink and closed the door shut. He knew that his son wouldn't do such a thing like what Dearka and the others are thinking. Well, he may have lost his control when he was drunk that night, but he knew that he didn't raise his son to be like that.

"But that's not…" Cagalli wasn't able to defend herself because Patrick could no longer hear her. So she immediately turned back to the sex machine under her. "You didn't even bother helping me explain to them what was really going on."

"Well that's because I'm recuperating my energy. You can't blame me for being so out of breath." Even though he was strangled a few moments ago, he couldn't help but stick out his tongue to the girl above him.

"That was because you were… It was all your… Never mind." She didn't even bother continuing her sentence. She found it pointless.

When he saw the dejected look on her face, he felt bad about saying things like that all out in the open. He knew that she would react that way, but still said it anyway.

"Hey." His hand made its way to touch her cheek. "Sorry about that."

But even though he already apologized, she still wasn't responding and kept the upset expression on her face.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Well, I still want to strangle you. But, no, not really." She shook her head. "I'm just thinking on how I'll explain this to Kira later on."

"I'll help you." Athrun gave her an assuring smile. "Don't fret about it. It's not as if we're doing something that we should be guilty about. You were just trying to strangle me to death remember?" Sarcasm was mixed into that, not to make Cagalli furious yet again, but to lighten up her mood.

She agreed when he said that. "I guess you're right." She didn't know the reason why, but every time Athrun gave her that promising look, she really would believe that everything would be fine. And in the end, he would always be right.

When Athrun kept staring at her, Cagalli realized that she was still in that awkward position that Kira and the others caught them in. "You should be getting ready for lunch." She managed to sit on the bed beside him.

"It's lunchtime already?" He asked her, not even bothering to stand up and prepare.

"Yep" She responded. "A few minutes past twelve I think? You slept through the entire morning."

"Really?" He acted all shocked but still didn't move from his position.

"I can't believe that you're the person that woke up last when you slept the earliest." She sighed her eyes in disbelief. Athrun was worse than Kira when it comes to oversleeping. "You must be that tired."

"Maybe."

"Are you just going to lie down until dusk?"

"Yes. It's comfy here."

"Oh well, then I'm going." She started to stand up but she felt her arm being grasped by Athrun's hand.

"Wait." He gently pulled her back down the bed. "I'll get up soon enough."

"Oh please. You look like you're going to sleep for another five hours." She rolled her eyes when she looked at Athrun, lazily positioned in his bed like a pig in a pig pen. It sure looked like he wasn't getting up anytime soon.

"Give me a few more minutes." He pleaded, not letting go on the grip that he had on her all the while.

"Fine. See you." She waved with her other hand, but she wondered why Athrun still wasn't letting go. "What? Do you still want to say something?"

"Yes."

"Then what is it?"

"Wait for me." He slowly pulled Cagalli onto the bed with him. "Let's walk to the dining room together, later."

When she realized that she was lying down next to the ridiculously handsome sex machine that made a perverted comment about her breasts just a few minutes ago, she suddenly became jumpy. Who knew what was running through his mind anyway? Even Cagalli had a hard time reading his mind. "Athrun! Just what the hell is wrong with you?" Her cheeks were glowing red yet again.

"Nothing." He said like it was just normal for him to be dragging her down to the bed with him. "I just want to cuddle with you."

"Wha… what are you saying?" She tried to get squirm away from Athrun's grip when suddenly his hand wrapped around her body. "Cuddle with me my ass! You're trying to get on my nerves again!"

"Of course not!" Athrun let out a laugh of amusement. Cagalli looked so cute whenever she was so flustered.

"Whatever Athrun!" She stuck out her tongue, telling him that she wasn't convinced. "You're trying to get me into trouble again!"

"I'm not!" Athrun shook his head and wrapped his other arm around her. "I just want to cuddle with you, because you're soft like a pillow!" He drew her closer to him and gently draped one of his legs above hers.

Cagalli was supposed to calm down and relax her body into Athrun's embrace when the last words he said registered into his brain.

Did Athrun just say that she was soft like a pillow?

What the hell did he mean by that?

If it was the three-letter word that starts with f, she would get mad.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cagalli swallowed her embarrassment and asked the sex-machine beside her.

"What is what supposed to mean?" Athrun repeated her question. He didn't get what she was asking him in the first place.

"What did you mean when you said that I was soft like a pillow?" Her tone of voice changed into a more threatening one.

"That you are soft like a pillow." Athrun answered her in the most sincere tone that he could muster. He loved cuddling with her during the times that she slept beside him that he considered her as a pillow that he always wanted to hug.

"And by being soft like a pillow…" Cagalli's voice trailed off, Athrun could sense the irritation in her face. The way that her eyebrows were writhing, the way her nose was somehow flaring and the way that she gritted her teeth were signs of annoyance. But the thing was, Athrun didn't know why she was riled up in the first place.

Athrun didn't interrupt her sentence and waited for her to continue.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY THAT I'M FAT?" She hollered at the ridiculously handsome sex-machine beside her. Athrun was so surprised that Cagalli exploded like that so he was unable to maintain the hold that he got on her. She sat up and grabbed a pillow to hit him with.

"Wha-" Athrun was too shocked for words. When he said that Cagalli was soft like a pillow, he actually meant that as a compliment because he always wanted to hug her and cuddle with her. It wasn't because she was fat, well; she's not even fat in the first place.

Well, maybe she gained a few pounds… But that was so excusable! She's pregnant! And of course she had to eat a lot for the baby!

And even if she got fat, he wouldn't mind. He'd still cuddle with her for all he cares.

"That's not what I meant!" It was Athrun's turn to flail his arms around while protecting himself from the pillow that Cagalli kept hitting him with.

"Then what was that supposed to mean, huh? You tell me Athrun Zala of ZAFT!" Cagalli repetitively swung the pillow to his face. "You're indirectly telling me that I'm fat aren't I? You are such a meanie! I can't believe you're calling me fat!"

"I told you that's not what I meant." Athrun tried to reason with her, but it was no use, she was infuriated yet again.

"Then what?"

"That I like to hug you! That's that!" Athrun defended himself.

"I don't believe you pervert!" She stood up and tossed the pillow straight at his face. Athrun didn't even have the time to dodge it because of utter shock. "Go walk to the dining hall yourself, I'm going."

"Wait…" Athrun tried to stop her.

"What?" Cagalli snapped at him.

And before Athrun could say something, Cagalli beat him to it. "Oh don't worry about me Athrun; I'll make sure that I won't eat like a pig so I won't get fat!" With that she slammed the door of his room shut.

Athrun laid back down his bed and sighed. How would he explain to Cagalli that he wasn't trying to call her fat?

Note to self, never ever call a pregnant woman a soft pillow, for they would mistake it and think that they were seen as fat.

-o0o-

"Did something happen between the two of them?" Shiho whispered into Miriallia's ear as they ate. "The two of them are acting so distant towards each other." [2]

"I'm not so sure myself." Miriallia answered her. She was also observing Athrun and Cagalli, who were seated beside each other, but something was very different, unlike yesterday, wherein they were acting so lovey dovey by kissing on the chocolate on the cheek and all. Today, it was like they were a couple that just argued because Cagalli entered the dining room without Athrun then Athrun also came, fresh from the shower. But they weren't exchanging words with each other.

From the looks of it, it seemed that Athrun was the one that caused the argument. Because he was the one that looked so guilty and sorry, and Cagalli, was seated beside him, emitting a deadly aura.

"What do you think Lacus?" Miriallia mouthed to the girl in front of her. "What do you think the problem is?"

Lacus turned to look at Cagalli, the way she held her fork and knife was scary, she looked like she wanted to murder the steak that was on her plate. She was supposed to get Kira to ask her what was wrong, but she with the murderous aura she was emitting, she decided to postpone it to later.

"I don't know." She looked back at them and shook her head, telling them that she didn't know why.

Leonore noticed the tacit conversation of the other girls and figured that she would also try to find out if the couple was really arguing.

"Athrun, you should put some more vegetables on Cagalli's plate." She smiled and handed Athrun the plate.

"Oh… alright." Athrun gulped nervously as he reached out to get the plate, but before he could get a hold of it, Cagalli beat him to it.

"No it's alright Auntie. I don't need his help. I can do this myself." Her voice was sweet when she talked to Auntie, but the way that the last words came out of his mouth was kind of bitter and mad.

"I can hold the plate for you…" Athrun suggested.

"No thanks." She ignored his goodwill and placed food on the place herself.

"Okay then, Cagalli honey…" Leonore found the situation very awkward, but the other boys seemed like they were unable to notice the mood between Athrun and Cagalli.

"What do you all want to do after we have lunch?" Patrick asked them, obviously not aware of the tension between them.

"Let's watch a movie!" Dearka suggested, he had been planning to watch a movie the moment they got here. "Do you have new DVDs that we can watch uncle?"

"Of course I do." Patrick beamed proudly. Aside from playing basketball, he also loved locking himself in their entertainment room to watch DVDs all day long.

"Inside the house?" Yzak asked, the malls were very far from the house. "Oh right, you have a room here that looks just like a theater…"

"Well then, what do you say?" Patrick looked at the others for their approval.

"I'm fine with it." Kira nodded.

"Us too." Miriallia, Lacus and Shiho agreed as well.

"Me too." Cagalli also agreed, so it was a given fact that Athrun would be watching a movie with them.

"It's settled then!" Leonore thought that watching would be a good idea to make them close to each other. "Let's watch a romantic movie!"

"Romantic movie?" Patrick gasped in horror. For him, romantic movies were so boring that it could lull him to sleep. "Not a romantic movie!"

"Well, I want to watch a romantic movie!" Leonore insisted. She didn't like to watch the movies that Patrick loved to watched. It was always full of blood, wars and guns that it sometimes frightened her.

"Actually Auntie, I was going to suggest an action movie." Dearka said to her.

"I want to watch an action movie! An action movie!" Shiho told them.

"See Leonore?" Patrick laughed. "It's three against one."

"Me and Lacus want to watch a romantic movie!" Miriallia cut in then turned to Lacus. "You don't mind Lacus, right?"

"Of course I don't." Lacus smiled at her, she wanted to watch a romantic movie as well.

"It's a tie now." Leonore buoyantly clapped her hands, at least Miriallia and Shiho was siding with her.

"I go for action movies." Yzak sided with Dearka and the others. "I'd die in boredom if we were to watch a romantic movie."

Miriallia and Lacus looked at each other and giggled. It looks like Shiho and Yzak have something in common.

"What about you Kira?" Patrick was certain about his win already. Of course Kira was going to pick action movies over romantic ones!

Kira, being a guy, also wanted to watch an action movie, but when she saw how Lacus was looking at him with her pleading eyes, even though he was hesitant, he changed his mind. "Uh… I think I want to watch a romantic movie… For a change…"

"What?" Dearka was shocked. Kira betrayed them.

"Kira's gay." Yzak couldn't help but comment.

"No! Of course not!" Kira flushed in embarrassment. "It just that, it's what Lacus wants to watch… So…"

"What a softie!" Shiho hissed. She thought they would be watching action movies already.

"What about you Athrun?" Leonore asked her son.

Athrun turned to Cagalli, who was still mad at him, and told them. "Whatever Cagalli decides. So, she has two votes."

Everyone then turned to look at Cagalli intensely, so she was the deciding factor.

"_Cagalli! Please pick Romance! Pick Romance! Romance, romance, romance."_ Leonore, Miriallia and Lacus chanted inaudibly. Miriallia somehow knew that Cagalli wasn't a fan of romance movies. Back in their high school and college days, they would always argue on what genre of movie to watch, and they always end up flipping a coin to see who would win. It was a slim chance, but she was clinging to the little chance that Cagalli would side with them and pick romance movies.

"_Come on Cagalli! Pick action! Action, action, action! You know you want to."_ Kira was also reciting a quiet mantra. He only chose 'romance' because he couldn't resist the cute eyes that Lacus always gave him whenever she wanted him to agree on something. But deep down, he wanted to choose 'action movies'. And he also knew that Cagalli wouldn't fail him because she was easily bored when watching romance movies.

"_Romance…"_

"_Action…"_

"_Romance…"_

"_Action…"_

Athrun was also thinking what Cagalli would choose between action and romance, but he remembered the time that he was with her, she wanted to watch a…

"Horror movie. I want to watch a horror movie." Cagalli simply stated, while putting the last food on her plate into her mouth.

Bingo, of course, she would prefer horror movies.

The eight other people, who were nervously waiting for her answer, were utterly shocked.

That wasn't even one of the choices.

"But Cagalli…" Dearka tried to protest. "A horror movie? You serious? Are you sure you don't want to watch action movies?"

"Don't you want to watch a romance movie?" Miriallia tried to dissuade her from being inclined to choose action, because it was quite similar to horror movies.

"I want to watch a horror movie." Her decision was never wavering. Cagalli wanted to watch a horror movie, not a romance or action movie. Her choice was final.

"But-" Dearka was still trying to convince her to change her decision.

"I said I want to watch a horror movie didn't I?" She gave him a death glare that made Dearka stop in persuading her.

Leonore tapped him and gave him a look that made him realize what was happening. "Okay, okay. Let's watch a horror movie! Like what Cagalli wants!" Patrick laughed nervously. He realized that Cagalli was having those mood swings that pregnant people have, so he better not try to madden her any further.

"What?" Dearka tried to complain, but Miriallia kicked him in the shin, trying to get the 'just-give-up-on-it-so-Cagalli-won't-be-pissed' message across.

"Then Horror movie it is!" Kira grinned enthusiastically. Initially, he wanted to watch an action movie, but a horror movie was so much better. He and Cagalli were really twins.

-o0o-

"Hey, are you still mad at me?" Athrun poked Cagalli's shoulder repetitively, completely ignoring the gore, blood, the screeching group of friends that were running from the murderous ghost and the screaming people inside the room.

"Don't talk to me you perverted sex machine." Cagalli drew her shoulder away from Athrun, that was beside her and trying to make her forgive him. She didn't even bother looking at him; her eyes were still locked on the screen of the big flat screen television.

"But I really wasn't trying to call you fat." Athrun didn't give up on her and tried to apologize to her.

"Yes you were." She retorted.

"No I was not."

"Yes you were." She insisted. She knew what she heard. 'Soft as a pillow' is parallel to saying she was fat.

"No I was not."

"Yes you were!"

"Shhh! Quiet you two! I'm trying to watch here." Shiho shushed the both of them. She hated it when there was distracting noise.

"You're being the noisy person here." Yzak couldn't help but comment. It was true. Cagalli and Athrun were only whispering with each other, and there Shiho was, yelling at them. Now who should be the one toning down her voice?

"You really like meddling with my business don't you?" Shiho raised an eyebrow at the Lady Gaga fan.

"Of course I do."

"Then expect me to never lay off that weird and unnatural hair of yours."

"My hair is not weird and it is natural!"

"You dyed it."

"I did not!" Yzak was losing his temper yet again.

"Since when was silver a normal hair color? Except for people that are old. No wait, maybe you're older than what you say you are. Let's say 70? Maybe even 80? Or is that too young for your age?"

"You-" There it was again. Shiho and Yzak having a heated conversation with each other, and in the end, Shiho wins because Yzak's temper always flairs first.

"Yzak there you are again." Dearka got a hold of his wrist when he tried to stand up. "Just sit down and enjoy the movie."

"I can't enjoy it when this woman is around!"

"Well, you might as well leave because there's no way I'm leaving." Shiho gave him a smug smile.

"There she is again!" Yzak wanted to pull his hair out of annoyance.

"Now, now Yzak." Lacus tried to calm him down. "Let's try to enjoy the movie shall we?"

Yzak, even though he was really pissed that he lost another round of bickering to Shiho Hahnenfuss, complied and sat down.

When the dispute was over, Athrun took the chance to wrap his arms around Cagalli from behind. "Hey I'm really sorry."

"What are you trying to do now you sex-machine?" Cagalli tried to get his arms off her shoulders but couldn't. He was damn strong.

"You can pinch me. I don't mind." Athrun buried his head into his shoulders. "Just promise me that you'll forgive me."

"Are you compromising with me?"

"Yes I am."

Then when she wasn't doing anything that was related to pinching, Athrun pulled her closer. "Come on, you can pinch me for how many times that you like."

Then Cagalli started to feel bad for acting that way towards him. She knew deep down that Athrun wouldn't intentionally call her fat. But she got mad anyway. It was just that, she noticed that she had been gaining a lot of weight recently and when Athrun told her that she was soft as a pillow she just got mad.

"I won't pinch you." She held his arms that hugged her. "I'm sorry for exploding on you like that a while ago."

"It's okay." He shook his head even though he was still leaning on her shoulder, which tickled her a bit. "I guess I deserved that."

"No you didn't." She replied in a childish tone.

"Come closer." Athrun whispered to her. "I want to cuddle with you."

"Okay."

Then later on, after a few minutes, the two of them weren't even watching the movie any longer. Athrun was sitting on the couch with Cagalli, while she leaned on his chest. It looked like he was smelling her hair. His left hand was draped around Cagalli's shoulder while the other was caressing her stomach. And there Cagalli was, breathing in his neck while fumbling the buttons of his shirt.

The others noticed them, but were looking at them discretely and exchanging knowing looks. Athrun and Cagalli were already a couple, no doubt about it. And the two of them didn't even notice it.

They like each other.

No wait, maybe even more than that.

"Why do I feel like I'm watching a live romantic movie?" Dearka whispered to the others and they nodded in agreement.

-o0o-

End of chapter 26! How was it? Let me know by reviewing! :) Your feedback is very much appreciated!

Athrun's bedroom scene was longer than what I had expected it to be.

Additional Notes:

[1] I just want to share that my block mate called me a retarded sleeping pill because he texted me in the afternoon and was asking for my help on something, but I was asleep that time so I replied six hours later (the moment I woke up), and told him that I took a nap and that I was still too sleepy to help him. So that's where it's from. Just sharing. Ignore me. =))

[2] If any of you is confused by their seating arrangement, I provided it below.

LZ DE MH SH

PZ

AZ CH KH LC YJ


	27. Hearts All Over the World Tonight

A/N: Hello readers! Here I am, trying to update faster than the usual, but miserably failing! :P There are really some distractions that I can't avoid. So forgive me.

It's my birthday this Saturday! I'm just so excited to turn 18! Sharing. :P

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 27: Hearts All Over the World Tonight

-o0o-

Boy and girl kissing.

Boy and girl hugging.

Boy and girl holding hands.

Boy giving girl flowers.

Boy chased after by a girl.

Was there anything else on television rather than these stupid romantic shows that were making her puke?

Shiho sighed as she turned off the television even though she had nothing else to do. Well, she'd rather be bored than be like a hopeless romantic watching these kinds of shows. All these romantic shows are grossing her out. It was Valentine's Day, and as expected Miriallia would be out having the time of her life with Dearka. And there she was, stuck in her house on a Friday afternoon without anything to do.

It sucks not having a boyfriend on the day of hearts. She felt a tinge of jealousy when she saw flowers in Miriallia's doorstep this morning. She was tempted to throw it in the dump but didn't want Miriallia to get upset with her. It would have been so nice to also receive flowers, chocolates and sweet letters from a guy. But sadly, it wouldn't happen this year because she dumped her boyfriend.

Well, she didn't really regret it. She was bored with him anyway. He didn't really give her much of a challenge and what was worse, they didn't really have anything in common. Whenever they were together, Shiho could feel the awkward silence consuming the both of them because they didn't have much to talk about. Except for the 'how's your day' and 'the weather's nice', it was like she was talking to a stranger.

As she continued slouching on the couch, thinking of the reasons why she dumped her ex-boyfriend, she suddenly remembered that Cagalli wasn't doing anything as well because her rich husband, Athrun, had a very important meeting to attend to. Sucks for him to be busy all day. It was a pity that the cute lovey dovey couple she rooted for wasn't doing anything because Athrun was busy with work. Of course, Kira would be spending his Valentine's Day with his girlfriend, so Cagalli would probably be alone, also thinking of something interesting to do.

Then it hit her, maybe she and Cagalli could spend the day together.

Like what she and Miriallia always did during their college days. Ever since Cagalli and Shinn got together, they would spend their whole day together, she and Miriallia would also celebrate being single by singing karaoke songs, shopping, pigging out, or having a movie marathon. Oh how she missed those days.

That's why without any further ado, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed Cagalli's number.

"Hello Shiho?" Cagalli answered in no time. "What's up?"

"Hi Cagalli!" Shiho greeted her. "Where are you?"

"At home."

"At home?" Shiho raised her eyebrows, she didn't know which 'home' Cagalli was talking about. "At Athrun's condo? Or at your house?"

"Uhm… At Athrun's." She shyly muttered. Really, the two of them are on another level now. Cagalli was referring to his condo as her 'home'.

"So…" Shiho cut the chatter. "What do you plan on doing today?"

"Hmm…" Cagalli paused for a moment to think. "I don't know…"

"Want to go out with me today? To the mall or wherever." Shiho asked her, so straight to the point. "I'm getting bored just staying here at Miriallia's house and I can't stand watching these romantic shows on tv."

"Okay then." She said 'yes' so easily that it almost surprised Shiho. Oh well, maybe she was bored as well. "Where do you want us to meet?"

"Do you want to meet at the super nice café near you?" Shiho suggested. Since Athrun and Kira weren't going to be there, she figured that she didn't want Cagalli to take a public transportation. Cagalli would be giving birth to her baby boy soon enough. And surely, Athrun and Kira would kill her for letting their blonde princess ride on one.

"Sure." Cagalli agreed. "Meet you in twenty minutes?"

"Okay. See you then."

-o0o-

"Thanks for going out with me today." Shiho gave Cagalli a light hug when she entered the café. She didn't know why Cagalli was late, considering that she lived near the café, but she didn't mind it anymore. "I'd die out of boredom if you didn't." But wow, her stomach was getting bigger and bigger every day. Shiho wondered when the baby would come out of her stomach. She was excited to see him already!

"It's no big deal." Cagalli laughed as she sat down. "And besides, I was dying of boredom as well."

"So what were you doing at home?" Shiho asked her.

"Well, the usual." Cagalli shrugged. "I was checking out my tumblr. [1] But at first I was watching tv, but I really had to turn it off."

"Let me guess… because it was full of kisses and hugs and hearts and all of that romantic and fluffy stuff?"

"Yes!" Cagalli hissed in irritation. "Can you believe that? I couldn't even watch a single channel because of that."

"And I can't believe that Miriallia's being all lovey dovey with Dearka!" Shiho exclaimed. "I keep asking Miriallia to tell me how the hell she got attracted to him, but she won't tell me! So you tell me!"

"Honestly I have no idea either." Cagalli stuck her tongue out. "During that time she was starting to date him, I noticed that Miriallia kept disappearing…"

"You mean like a superhero?" Shiho cut in.

"You're too excited! Let me finish will you?"

"Oh right. Sorry about that Cagalli." Shiho laughed in embarrassment. She was really an impatient person, so she couldn't help it most of the time. "Okay, you can continue with what you were saying."

"Anyway, as I was saying." Cagalli cleared her throat. "Miriallia used to ride with me and Athrun on the way home, but that time, she always went home earlier and told me that she had something to do or someone to meet."

"Lame excuse." Shiho commented.

"I know right?" Cagalli laughed. "It was so suspicious when she was always smiling to herself when she receives a text and was always thinking of something…"

"She never mentioned to you that she was dating Dearka?"

"Nope." Cagalli shook her head. "Me and Athrun just got surprised that we caught them making out. They were surprised as well."

"Why did she keep it a secret in the first place?"

"Maybe she was shy about it. Because she told me at first that she didn't like him when she first met him. Quote: 'that guy, Athrun's friend, is just a perverted flirt. Anyone that would go out with him would be crazy'."

"Oh right." Shiho nodded. "Miriallia doesn't want to back down on anything she says."

"At first I really thought that Dearka was just a creepy flirt. I even got scared for her when Dearka was trying to make his moves on her and you had no idea how freaked out I was when I saw the two of them making out." Cagalli nodded. "But then again, Athrun told me he never saw Dearka that serious about a girl before."

"Define serious."

"Miriallia told me that he always kept bugging her to go out with him and to tell him stuff about her. And Athrun says that Dearka never looked so desperate like he was with Miriallia ever before."

"So Dearka's like, throwing himself to Miriallia?"

"Something like that… But from what I also saw, Dearka was really persistent in chasing after Miri, even though she was getting irritated of him already."

"Dearka's determination is really commendable." Shiho took a sip from her coffee, which Cagalli eyed feverishly. Ever since she got pregnant, she wasn't drinking even a drop of coffee. It made her drowsy but whatever. "I applaud him for making the hard-to-get Miriallia to agree to go on a date with him."

"You're right." Cagalli shook her head yes. "I remember back in college, she always showed no interest whenever it comes to dating."

"Yeah, she always dumped any guy that would attempt to ask her out on a date…"

"Some people even thought that she was a lesbian." Cagalli giggled at the thought of her friend being a lesbian. "But you know Miriallia, she's a hopeless romantic. She's probably waiting for that someone special."

"And now we know that she finally found one!"

" I wonder what they're doing right now… I'm really so curious." Cagalli couldn't help but wonder. Dearka didn't look like the romantic type of guy at all, so were they going to have a typical candlelight dinner in a fancy restaurant? Or was there a romantic side to Dearka that she never knew?

"Maybe they'll enjoy being in love on top of the bed with all those petals of red roses scattered on it." Shiho bluntly said as she ate her cake. The moment she first saw Dearka, she felt this perverted aura from him, so that was probably what they were doing on the day of hearts. Poor Miri.

"Wha-what?" Cagalli cheeks reddened at the thought of her best friend and Athrun's best friend were doing…

"Don't you 'what' me Cagalli!" Shiho looked at her knowingly. "You know exactly what I'm talking about… Don't you?"

"I guess I do…" She tried to avoid these kinds of conversations; she just found it so awkward to be talking about sex. "I thought they would be having a romantic day together, you know, going to amusement park and stuff…"

"Oh please Cagalli! Amusement parks are so high school!" Shiho rolled her eyes. "I think they're trying to follow the example you've set." Shiho kept giving her a teasing look. "You know… being pregnant and all…"

"Miriallia's trying to get pregnant?" Cagalli covered her mouth with her hand to avoid shouting in shock.

"I'm kidding." Shiho rolled her eyes. "Of course not! And don't worry about them! They use protection… Unlike someone I know…"

"Are you trying to insinuate something?" Cagalli glowered at her. It was like she was implying something that she and Athrun once did that fateful night…

"Nothing… Nothing really." Shiho laughed nervously when she saw Cagalli staring at her intensely.

-o0o-

"We are expecting the sales of our products to increase by twelve percent this month…" The woman in front pointed to a series of charts that was flashed in the projector. "Since we bought new equipment that can make production faster we can expect…"

She continued talking about the expected performance of the company.

He knew that already.

"Some investors are also…"

Athrun wished that the woman would stop talking already, so that he could leave.

But she wasn't stopping.

Was his presence really needed here?

He tried to stifle a yawn. It would be rude to show the others that he, the president, had no interest in listening.

He was so bored.

He wanted to leave.

But he couldn't.

It was unfair that Dearka and Yzak were exempted from this. He was rotting in his seat in this meeting room, while they were enjoying their Friday. They left already left the office to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. It really sucks that he got left behind. They should be suffering here together. Well, the two of them really didn't need to be here anyway.

Of course Dearka would be having a date with Miriallia. He told him that he was planning something special for her. He wondered what it was, but somehow he thought that it was something that included dildos, condoms and some stripping of clothes. Knowing Dearka's polluted mind, he might do that.

He wondered how Miriallia would react to that, if ever Dearka's special plan was something like what he thought of.

Boy, he sure wanted to see if he had a red mark on his face.

And he and Yzak would be laughing so hard about his attempted romantic date.

Oh, speaking of Yzak.

Yzak, being the person amongst the three of them that never had a girlfriend before, because he would frequently frighten them with his temper or piss them off because of his impatience and sharp mouth, would be staying at his house or wandering by the mall alone. Usually, he would be watching a movie by himself. Athrun couldn't even imagine the thought of walking around the mall surrounded by couples. It was so awkward. How could he withstand doing that? He should just stay at home.

But he would be bored, he was sure of that.

In any case, he was so jealous that they get to do whatever they pleased, while he was stuck in his office.

He also wanted to go out, or just stay at home…

To spend time with Cagalli.

Cagalli…

Just a few seconds ago, he was thinking of Dearka and Yzak. He had no idea how Cagalli suddenly popped out of his mind.

But it was true. He wanted to stand up and get the hell out of the office to go home and spend time with Cagalli.

Wait… Spend time with Cagalli…

Maybe… They could go out or something…

Like a date?

He wished the meeting would end soon. He felt really bad that he was sitting there and pretending to listen, although his mind was drifting somewhere else.

But with the looks of the pace of the meeting, it would most likely end after a few more hours.

He felt like he was going to rot in his seat.

-o0o-

How bored were they?

Since this afternoon, Shiho and Cagalli never left the café. At first, they planned to go to the mall to watch a movie, but they figured that the mall would be swarmed by lovey dovey couples, so they changed their minds about going. Instead, they stayed at the café and ordered every cake in the menu and ate them as they continued exchanging stories. They would have pigged out at Cagalli's pastry shop, but Miriallia wasn't there to bake for them. All the people inside the café looked at them like they were some weirdos, but they didn't care.

"_I'm going to get fat."_ Shiho refrained from voicing out her thoughts to the blonde in front of her. She remembered the time that Athrun described her as someone that was soft as a pillow and Cagalli didn't take it very lightly and got mad at him for how many hours. So she decided to keep her musings to herself.

But she couldn't deny that she didn't regret that they ordered so much. The cakes were delicious of course the cakes that Miriallia baked tasted better. But then again, it wasn't bad to enjoy cakes that were new to the taste buds.

"I feel bad for not patronizing my pastry shop's cakes." Cagalli sighed in guilt, but still she took a spoonful of chocolate cake and put in her mouth. "Miriallia would kill us if she were to find out where we're at."

"It's excusable!" Shiho assured her. "Of course it's a busy day for the pastry shop, and if we were there, the waitresses would have a hard time serving us as well!"

"Do you think we should go and help them?" Cagalli asked her. "They might be needing some hand in the shop."

"I don't think so." Shiho shook her head. "You have more than the usual waitresses. I'm sure the shop will be alright."

"I wonder what Miriallia's doing now…" Cagalli couldn't help but think. She was really curious. Athrun said that Dearka would be doing something special, but what was that something special?

"You want to find out?" Shiho pulled out her cell phone and grinned. She wanted to know as well.

"I do! I do!" With that Shiho dialed Miriallia's cell phone number.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Well?" Cagalli sat beside her so she could hear what she and Miriallia were talking about.

"She's not answering…" Shiho hissed in irritation as she pressed her cell phone closer to her right ear. Was she having that much fun to not answer the phone?

Cagalli was getting anxious as she heard every ring from Shiho's cell phone. Miriallia seemed to be really preoccupied.

"Give me that." Cagalli grabbed the phone from Shiho and dialed pressed the numbers to Miriallia's number.

"She's really not answering you know." Shiho took a sip from her juice and stared at Cagalli, who still tried to reach Miriallia's line.

Cagalli felt so defeated when she returned Shiho's cell phone. "Aww, it's too bad that Miriallia's not picking up."

"Let's try and call her later." Shiho smiled as she put her phone back into her bag, then a new idea struck her. "Let's call Lacus instead!"

"Right!" Cagalli brought out her cell phone and called Lacus immediately.

"Hello?" An angelic voice answered the phone.

"Lacus!" Cagalli squealed when she heard her voice.

"Hello Cagalli!"

"Loudspeaker." Shiho whispered beside her. She wanted to hear what the two of them were talking about.

"So why did you call?" Lacus voice could be heard all over the café, which embarrassed the two girls. Cagalli immediately turned the loudspeaker off.

"Hi Lacus…" Cagalli laughed nervously when the people started to look at them again, this time, for a very different reason. "So what's up?"

"Cagalli! Ask her what she and Kira are doing on their date." Shiho said in a low voice. "Ask her now!"

"So…" Cagalli cleared her throat to speak. "What are you and Kira doing?"

"Oh, I'm so glad that you asked." Lacus giggled, so they were having a good time. "Kira took me to this place somewhere in Orb; I don't really know where we're at, and Kira says it's a great place to stargaze. You should also come here! The wind is great here!" Then she paused for a moment. "Kira wants to talk to you."

"Hi Cagalli." Kira's voice came from the other line. "I brought her to the place where we usually go when we were still kids. You know, Aunt Caridad's place."

"Oh right!" Cagalli beamed as she remembered. Her aunt's place was very far from the city and it was really relaxing to go there. They haven't been there for years, so Kira must have missed going there. "So when are you going back home?"

"Uhm… Maybe tomorrow?" Kira answered her.

"I see…" Cagalli's voice trailed off. "Oh if ever you pass by Aunt Caridad's place, say hi to her for me okay?"

"Okay, I will."

"Bye Kira."

"Wait!" Kira yelped, so Cagalli didn't put the phone down just yet.

"Yes Kira?"

"What about you? What are you doing there?"

"Oh, I'm in a café near Athrun's condo with Shiho." Cagalli answered him. "You know, we're just hanging around."

"Really?" It was a snicker. Cagalli swore that she heard Kira somehow snickering. Maybe he was happy that she wasn't doing something with the perverted sex machine. It seems like Kira still doesn't like Athrun, even though he was already introduced to his parents. She thought that by doing that, he would warm up to him, but no. "But why isn't Mister Number One with you?" Kira started to speak again.

"Oh he's busy with work." Cagalli sometimes hated it when Athrun was always so preoccupied with work, but she couldn't do anything about it.

It pissed Cagalli off that Kira was still letting out an evil laugh, probably because he was enjoying the fact that she and Athrun weren't spending some time together.

"Stop snickering already." Cagalli rolled her eyes and said in a irritable tone. "Bye Kira. See you tomorrow."

"Bye Cagalli." The laughter ceased. "See you."

"So, what's going on between them?" Shiho excitedly inquired after Cagalli put down her cell phone.

"Having fun, just like any other couple would." At first, Cagalli was also eager to tell Shiho what Kira and Lacus were up to, but because her beloved brother kept snorting on the phone a while ago, it made her a bit annoyed and uninterested.

"Okay, I therefore conclude, that we are so miserable." Shiho groaned in exasperation. Her mood also went downhill. "Almost everyone I know is with their special someone, but here we are, stuck in this café for hours!

"Am I not a special someone to you?" Cagalli pouted. Of course she knew what Shiho meant, but she was just trying to lighten up the mood.

"Of course you are Cagalli!" Shiho soothed her pouty friend. "But of course, I was talking about a different special someone! You know… someone who has abs!"

"Right, right…" Cagalli pretended to shrug it off. "I'm sorry if I don't have abs!"

"You had abs!" Shiho exclaimed, why was Cagalli being so jealous all of a sudden? "Well… you had abs before…"

When Cagalli wasn't responding, Shiho added. "That reminds me, you have abs Cagalli!" She beamed in delight, but then continued. "Flabs have the word 'abs' in it right? Right? So don't feel sad!" She nudged her friend.

"That's not even funny." Cagalli gave her a dull stare while make a 'boo' sign with her hands. "You're abs."

"Abs?" Shiho repeated. "What does that mean? My face looks like abs?"

"No, that means that you're absolutely insane!"

"How corny."

They looked at each other before erupting into a fit of laughter. They were so bored that they were making fun of each other.

"Well, I guess I'll be heading home now." Cagalli looked at her wrist watch, a few more minutes before eight. She didn't even notice that it got so late. She and Shiho spent almost four hours in this café.

"You're leaving? But I just got here." A voice interrupted her. Cagalli was sure that it wasn't Shiho.

When she turned around, she found a blue-haired sex-machine staring at her.

"Athrun?"

"Yes it's me, hi." He flashed that cool smile that could make the girls swoon. But since it was Cagalli, she didn't melt… Well maybe she did, but only for a bit.

"Hey." Shiho greeted him while yawning.

"Hi Shiho."

"How did you know that I was here?" Cagalli asked him. She really didn't know how he found her, since she never told him where she was.

"I drove pass this café and saw a blonde girl in a cute flowery dress with her brunette friend eating chocolate cakes." He said to the two of them. "I thought I would stop and take a look and see if my hunch was true."

Cagalli flushed in embarrassment when Athrun looked at their table that was full of plates. She didn't even know what to say to him.

"Hey, let's go somewhere." He reached out his hand for her to take.

"Wait, where are we going?" Cagalli asked him, but she still reached out for his hand even though she was too unsure.

"Somewhere." He managed to make her stand up. "Shiho, is it okay if we go somewhere for a bit."

"Oh yeah sure." Shiho nodded. "It's fine."

"Are you sure?" Cagalli didn't want to leave Shiho behind.

"Yes it's okay." Shiho reassured her.

"Okay then." Cagalli let go of Athrun's hand and gave Shiho a light hug. "Bye, see you."

"Bye Cagalli. Bye Athrun."

Athrun gave her a light smile before exiting the café with Cagalli.

When the two of them left, Shiho sighed deeply.

"This sucks." She whispered to herself. It really did. Just a while ago, she and Cagalli were complaining on how the two of them were losers because they didn't have dates. Then Athrun arrives and takes Cagalli away from her. Of course, Athrun was going to make up for the hours that he wasted in the meeting.

Now she was the only one sitting in the café feeling sorry for herself. Was she the only one that didn't have a boyfriend?

But it really wasn't her fault. The boys that she always went out with didn't really spark her love interest, or if not, they really bored her to death/

Well, maybe she was a bit picky.

She really felt glum. Maybe she should wear a shirt that says 'Forever Alone'.

Before she could continue musing to herself, another voice interrupted her. "Hey there."

It was Lady Gaga.

"Hi." It was the only word that she managed to say to him. After all the poignant thinking that she was doing after Cagalli and Athrun left, she was in no mood to make a sarcastic comment about how weird his hair was.

"Do you mind it if I sit with you?" And it looks like he was also wasn't going to make a snide remark on how she looked like a loner as she sat in the café alone.

"No, not really." She shrugged. "I guess I don't mind having company."

He sat down with her but didn't say anything. When she meant 'company', she meant a person that would actually talk to her. He was there alright, nevertheless, she felt like she was still sitting there all by herself. Yzak doesn't really come across a person that initiates a conversation, so maybe it was all up to her.

"So what brings you here?" Shiho put her palm under her chin as she looked at the platinum-haired guy.

"I just passed by." Yzak tapped his fingers on the table. "I was just going to get myself a cup of frappe, and then I saw you. Athrun and Cagalli were here a while ago weren't they? Where did they go?"

"They went somewhere."

"Oh I see…"

Then there was an awkward silence.

Shiho didn't notice it, but Yzak was staring at her and wondered why she was feeling so down in the dumps. It was very different from the Shiho that he knew, the one that was always energetic and derisive, well, only to him anyway. The Shiho that he saw now looked like her energy was drained. She didn't even mock his hair.

"Hey…" Yzak finally spoke to bring an end to the quiet atmosphere between the both of them.

"What?"

"Want coffee?"

"Coffee?"

"Yes. Oh don't worry. It's my treat."

"Fine." Shiho eyed Yzak as he stood up and went to the counter.

Oh well, it seemed like they were going to talk a little bit longer.

And it's not because they were deriding each other.

-o0o-

"So where are we going?" Cagalli asked Athrun as he drove past his condo unit. She initially thought they were going back home.

"You'll see." Athrun eyes were still on the road when he responded.

Soon enough they stopped on a fancy restaurant. The ones that Cagalli never dared to enter because the food would cost a fortune.

"What are we doing here?" She asked him as an employee from the restaurant opened the car door for her.

"I'm hungry." Athrun stated as if they ate in a fancy restaurant every day. "So we're going to eat."

"But I'm not hungry!" Cagalli stuttered nervously as she followed Athrun inside. She tried to pull down the hem of her dress. "And besides, I'm not dressed for the occasion."

"You don't need to." Athrun chuckled at the dreaded blonde. "No one's here rather than us anyway."

"What?" Cagalli stopped pulling her dress down for a brief moment and took a glance. True enough, besides her, Athrun and the waiters, no other customer was there. "But why are we the only ones here?"

She marveled at the sight of the fancy restaurant. It was like they were inside a dining room of a palace. The marble floor that wasn't covered by the velvet carpet reflected the expensive looking chandeliers that hung on the ceiling. The furniture also looked newly furnished. She couldn't imagine breaking a plate, maybe it would take her a lifetime to pay one of those.

When Athrun wasn't responding, she had one of her crazy ideas.

"Athrun!" She got hold of his wrist and didn't let it go. "Did you buy this place?" That was the only answer that she could think of for the moment.

Then Athrun let out a fit of laughter. "No of course not. Call it a rent." He winked at her. "I rented the place for the whole night."

"Because?" Cagalli furrowed her brow on him. She felt bad for the other customers that wanted to dine here, especially on Valentine's Day.

"Nothing." He said as the waiter led them to their seat.

Candlelight dinner.

Cagalli was trying to process everything.

That kind of set up was for a romantic dinner, was it not?

"Have a seat." Athrun held the chair for her.

"Thank you." She shyly sat down the seat.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" Athrun gave her a worried look.

Cagalli looked at the food that was served on her plate. The steak really looked delicious. Well, maybe she could eat a bit more.

"Not eating this would be a waste!" Cagalli got her fork and knife and started to slice the steak into chunks that would fit her mouth.

Athrun chuckled as he saw Cagalli eating. He found it so cute that he was actually gazing at her for a matter of minutes.

"What?" Cagalli stopped and looked at him. "Is there something wrong with my face?"

"Nothing really." But he kept looking at her. He also noticed that the steak was almost wiped out on her plate. And she says that she wasn't hungry.

"The way you stare at me seems like there is…"

"Oh by the way." Athrun put down his utensils and signaled the waiter with his hand gestures. At first, Cagalli didn't know what it was for, but when the waiter neared her. She finally realized what the hand gesture was for.

Sunflowers.

The waiter handed bouquet of sunflowers to the sex machine.

"I was too shy to give this to you a while ago." Cagalli swore she saw some tint of red in Athrun's cheeks as he handed the bouquet to her. It was quite obvious because Athrun was avoiding her gaze.

So the president of ZAFT could get embarrassed of things like these.

"Happy… Valentines… Day…"

"How sweet of you…" Cagalli blushed, making the two of them self-conscious with of each other. "Thank you."

Then there was silence between the two of them as they finished their food. It would have been more inept if it weren't for the music playing in the background.

Athrun was getting tongue-tied at the situation. He didn't even know why. Maybe it was because it was the first time he did that to a girl. That's right. Athrun Zala never gave his previous girlfriends flowers, not even his mother.

He didn't know why he did it. He just did. When he saw Cagalli's hair this morning, he knew that he had to give her sunflowers. It really suited her. The bright color of the sunflower really matched her bright personality.

Her bright personality that he loved.

Love?

That word caused a very weird sensation inside him.

"Hey." He stood up and gently pulled her up as well when she finished her food.

"What?"

"Do you want to dance to the music?"

Dance to the music?

Dance to the violin strings and piano keys?

"No way!" Cagalli defiantly shook her head no. "I dislike dancing! No, scratch that. I loathe dancing!"

"Fine!" Athrun gave up on convincing her to dance because he knew that she wouldn't surrender anyway. "Just give me a hug."

"What?" Cagalli exclaimed. From a dance to a hug? She really didn't know what was going through Athrun's head.

"Don't I get a thank you for giving you your favorite flowers?" He raised his eyebrow and gave her a be-grateful look.

"Well, I didn't ask you to give me sunflowers!" She retorted. But then again she saw the sudden change of expression in Athrun's emerald eyes, like the ones that she saw during his birthday. The look that made her so guilty. "Fine! Fine! I'll hug you!"

And it wasn't just because she felt guilty, she also wanted to hug him too deep down.

She wanted to be so close to him.

Without any further ado, Athrun pulled her into his arms and gave her a hug, he wanted to give her a tighter hug but he couldn't, because it would squeeze the baby.

"You want a hug as a 'thank you'?" Cagalli asked him as he continued to hug her. Her cheeks were obviously blushing as Athrun held her closer to him.

"Yes." He said as he buried his head in her hair.

"You're weird." Actions spoke louder than words because she returned his hug.

As they stood there and continued to be so close to each other, Cagalli swore that she felt Athrun kiss her hair. But was unsure whether to break the silence or not.

But since she enjoyed their warm embrace, she did the latter.

-o0o-

End of chapter 27! How was it? Review please! Your feedback is very much appreciated!

See you on chapter 28!

Bye!

Additional Notes:

[1] Sorry I just had to add this one. :P tumblr – yeah it's a new addicting social networking site for me. Sometimes I sleep so late because I kept reblogging cute photos. One of reasons why me a while to update.


	28. Side Stories

A/N: Because nareiya requested a side story for the Yzak and Shiho couple, I decided that I'd be doing a side story on all of them, just to be fair to the other couples, and I don't know why I can't say no to your requests. :P But I'm feeling like a bad-ass author, writing for the other couples and all! \m/

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 28: Side Stories

-o0o-

**Side Story # 1: Friends at last?**

"Here you go." An aromatic cup of coffee now was in front of Shiho. He also bought a drink for himself, but it wasn't like the warm coffee that she was drinking, it was the mocha frappe that she was eying on the menu a while ago.

"Thanks." She ripped open the pack of creamer that Yzak also handed to her and mixed it with the coffee. Even though she stirred her coffee, her eyes were glued to the mocha frappe that Yzak was drinking. Maybe she should have asked for a mocha frappe as well. It looked so delicious and cool. Why did she ask for a freaking cup of coffee in the first place?

Yzak was feeling the deadly stares that Shiho was giving to his drink. It was awkward that she was following the direction of where his cup went.

"Do you also want a mocha frappe?" Yzak couldn't take the unwavering intent look that she was giving the cup. "I'll buy you one if you want to."

"No! No! It's okay!" She flailed her arms around. "I don't want one!"

"_Yes you do."_ Her inner self was betraying her.

"Are you sure?" Yzak gave her an inquiring look. If she didn't want the mocha frappe, then why were her eyes still on it?

"I am." She cleared her throat and focused on her cup of coffee.

"Okay then." Yzak wasn't convinced but he shrugged it off anyway.

"Okay fine! I do want a mocha frappe!" She confessed. "I was eyeing yours ever since you bought one."

Without any further delay, Yzak stood up to buy her a cup of mocha frappe.

"Why are you being so kind today?" Shiho asked him as soon as he sat down with the other cup of mocha frappe in his hand. "Buying me a coffee and a mocha frappe all in one day."

"Aren't I always kind?" Yzak nonchalantly replied as he handed the cup to her.

"To be honest, no." She said in a flat tone, she wasn't scared of what his reaction to that might be.

She expected him to be pissed off, like the sudden flinching of his eyebrows or the flaring of his nose or the sound of his teeth gritting or the balling of his fist in irritation.

But no, he didn't do any of those.

"Well, yeah." He agreed. "I might be a little hot-headed at times."

"You mean hot-headed a lot of times." Shiho added. It was true actually, every time she would see him, he would always be angry at something, other than her.

And again, she was anticipating for the symptoms of his head boiling and exploding like a volcano.

But there was none.

"And I find it weird that you aren't getting infuriated right now." She said after taking a sip of her free drink. "Aren't you supposed to be saying: 'Mind your own business, woman.' Or something like that?"

"What about you?" He didn't respond to her question, because he didn't even know the reason behind it. "Why aren't you the usual Shiho?"

"What do you mean by that?" She stopped savoring the taste of the frappe for a moment to look at him.

"Well, aren't you supposed to be picking on my 'unnatural hair color'? Or giving me a comment that would surely tick me off?"

"As much as I would love to see you pulling your hair out in exasperation, I can't really think of anything mean to say to you right now."

"And that's because of?"

"Look around you Joule. Everyone around us is either feeding each other or cuddling like teddy bears!"

"It's Valentine's Day."

"My point exactly."

"Oh…" He didn't know what to say about that. If it were him, he wouldn't be affected by the sight of the couples being so affectionate with one another. "So you're feeling kind of down because all of your friends have dates today?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about! Definitely not! Of course not! Well, maybe a little… But not really. Maybe. Not so much. Yes." The words all came out from her mouth in less than twenty seconds."

"That's it?"

"Of course that's it!" Shiho felt a bit offended that Yzak's reply sounded like he didn't care about her dilemma that much. "Can't you see that everyone else has someone that they're out with?"

"Hmmm… I think you shouldn't feel down that much." Yzak told her, because he, himself wasn't affected by all the couples that were all lovey dovey. He was used to it since his high school days.

"And why not?" Shiho gave him an inquiring look.

"Because in time, the right guy will come, surely." Yzak couldn't help but give her a cliché line. But his mother always kept telling him that overused line whenever he would feel gloomy that everyone else had someone special, especially on the day of hearts. Maybe that was the reason behind he never rushed into getting a girlfriend.

"And where did you get that life lesson?"

"From my mother."

Unlike Yzak that would feel enlightened whenever his mother would say that to him, he noticed that there was no change in her depressing expression.

No matter how aggravating Shiho was when she was in her usual mood, it was also dejecting to see her so down in the dumps, so Yzak tried to cheer her up.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"You want to see something interesting?"

Shiho didn't answer but she looked at him to see if he would suddenly do something that was interesting.

Instead he brought out his wallet and took a piece of paper from inside it.

"Look at this." He handed the piece of paper.

"What is thi-" She was unable to finish her sentence because her jaw drop when she saw the person

It was a little boy.

With platinum hair like Lady Gaga.

This is him.

"Is this…" Shiho was trying to recuperate the words that she was about to say.

"Yep. That's me." He nodded.

"Are you serious?" Shiho didn't like to believe it.

"I told you that my hair color was natural." He gave her an 'I-told-you-so' look.

"Oh my… I can't believe that you were telling the truth…" Her mouth was forming into a grin.

Seconds later, she was wiping her eyes. Tears were starting to flow out of them. But it wasn't because of the fact that she felt so miserable being alone on a Valentine's Day. It was because she was laughing so hard that it made her stomach hurt.

Their conversation started to sail smoothly from there. They started to talk about other things.

Shiho was ranting a while ago of how she felt so fed-up about being so alone. But if random people were to see how the two of them were acting to comfortably with each other, they would mistake them for a couple.

-o0o-

**Side Story # 2: Possessive much?**

From afar, two silhouettes could be seen comfortably sitting in the beach, closely seated to each other with their hands intertwined with each other as they waited for sunset to befall on them. Truly, an epitome of a dream couple that could only be seen in movies.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Then the sound coming from the cell phone suddenly destroyed the romantic atmosphere that the two of them were having.

They thought that both of their phones were on silent mode.

But that irritating ring didn't sound like the phone was set to silent mode.

The auburn-haired girl sighed as she took her phone out from her bag and wondered who would be calling her at a moment like this.

It was from Shiho.

Why was she calling?

Was it something so important that she needed to call her in the middle of her romantic date with Dearka?

She was supposed to answer her cell phone but Dearka took the phone from her and hid it in his pocket.

"Why did you do that?" Miriallia asked him.

"Because I want your attention to be always on me today." Dearka told her while pressing the reject button. It was a bit bold of him but that was what he really felt. "I know that they'll be stealing you away from me the moment we get back."

"How possessive of you." Miriallia whispered in his ear.

"Call me possessive or whatever you want to call me, but I'm not returning your phone until the end of the trip." Dearka stuck his tongue out while pulling Miriallia closer to him.

"But what if it was something urgent?" Miriallia asked him.

"I don't think it is."

"Why are you so sure about that?"

"I just feel it. Like the way I felt about you."

"Where did that come from?" Miriallia chuckled when she heard him say that.

"From nowhere."

"I didn't know that you could be this romantic." Miriallia said to him as she leaned on his chest.

"Are you surprised?"

"Yes, I always thought that you were only after one thing."

"One thing?"

"Sex."

"Well I must admit, at first I thought you were hot…" Dearka started to say. "And they say that if a guy calls you hot, he's just after your body."

"Then?" Miriallia wanted to slap him when she heard that, but she figured that she would let him finish first.

"But then again, there's more to you. You're a good friend to Cagalli, talented, smart, friendly funny and kind." He continued to talk. "Believe it or not, I'm not after that one thing anymore…"

"Aww…" Miriallia couldn't help but feel flattered about what he was saying, he was just too sweet!

"Wait maybe I'm still after that one thing… but not just yet." Dearka snickered.

Then Miriallia slapped his shoulder, hard.

**Side Story # 3: Mister Number Three and One**

"Bye Cagalli." Kira said as his laughter ceased. "See you."

"You're so mean Kira!" Lacus told him. She was sitting in the blanket that Kira laid out for the both of them. "You're laughing at poor Cagalli because she doesn't have a date with Athrun today!"

"Of course I wasn't!" Actions were louder than words because Kira started to chuckle again. He wasn't happy at the fact that Cagalli didn't have a date, of course he felt bad for her. It was just that Mister Number One was stuck in his office instead of having fun. He sounded like a sadist while saying that, but it was true.

"You really don't like Athrun don't you?" Lacus raised her eyebrow. After all the things that happened: making them eat lunch or dinner once in a while to let them be comfortable with each other, the time that Cagalli almost had a miscarriage, and the time that Kira was invited for the Zalas' celebration of the New Year; the two of them still haven't got along quite well. They still would bicker over the pettiest things. It seemed like the only thing that they loved to do together is to fight with each other.

"Hmm… Not really?"

"That was more of a question than an answer."

"Here." Kira pinched from his sandwich and tried to feed her.

"You're not answering." Lacus said in a playful tone, but still ate the piece of sandwich that he gave her.

And Kira still wasn't answering. She gave him an inquiring look but he avoided it by drinking from his cup.

"Oh I know!" Lacus looked like she had an epiphany. If it were a cartoon, a light bulb would have popped just above her head.

"I bet you're insecure!"

"Whaaaaaat?" Kira almost choked on his juice. "What did you just say?"

"You're insecure when around him." Lacus gave her a knowing look.

"I am not!"

"Yes you are!"

"Nooooo!" He shook his head violently. No way he was insecure with that Mister Number One! There was just no way!

"Well why not?" Lacus raised her eyebrow. "He's good-looking, he's the president of his own company, the company that he manages is number one in the industry, he has a kickass car, he's rich, his skill in tennis was almost as good as yours even though he only played once and he spends more time with Cagalli than you do!"

Kira swore that his jaw drop when he heard Lacus say that. Well, partly because she said the word 'kickass', Lacus never says words like those. And partly because what she said was kind of true…

"Aww come on Kira!" Lacus giggled when she saw her boyfriend so speechless. "I was just joking. Did you think I was serious?"

He nodded.

"Don't fret about it." Lacus held Kira's cheeks and shook it gently. "Even though Athrun and Cagalli call you Mister Number Three, you're my Mister Number One."

Kira's face flushed when he heard that and enclosed Lacus into a warm hug and wasn't planning to let go any sooner.

-o0o-

Sorry if there are no AsuCaga moments in this chapter! This was just a side story.

So this is a short chapter, compared to the others. :P Just a short chapter before I leave! What did you think of it? Review! Your feedback is very much appreciated.

And I was surprised that my fic had over 80 favorites! Thank you readers! I hope the others that clicked the 'Add Story as Favorite' button review as well. :P

Anyways, see you!


	29. This is it

A/N: Hello readers! So sorry for the late update! I'm back from my trip! How are you all doing? :P Travelling to different places, not to mention the long rides always made me weary during my free time, so I couldn't really think twice when I was given the choice of rejuvenating myself or continuing in writing the next chapter. And we always fought on who's going to use the laptop and all. So yeah. :P But hey, at least now that I home, I can continue writing the remaining chapters! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 29: This is it

-o0o-

"_Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she'd let me…" _[1]

The song was so perfect for the situation right now.

But the problem was, it wasn't a 'she'.

It was a 'he'.

Kissing him…

What?

Then again maybe not.

Wait just a damn second!

Damnit! Why was she thinking of that sort of stuff during a Bruno Mars song?

Well maybe because it was too damn appropriate for what she wanted to do right now.

Wait what?

Her cheeks had the beet red color at the realization that she was fantasizing about kissing _him_.

If Cagalli were all by herself in her room, she would be pulling her hair out in annoyance and rolling on her bed all the while. But she didn't, because of two things. First of all, she wasn't even in her room, she hadn't even been to her room in a while. She was in the sex machine's car. And secondly, she couldn't roll on her bed. That was way too dangerous for the baby and she after that heated confrontation with Athrun's ex-girlfriend, she was pretty sure that she didn't want that to happen to her and the baby again, considering that her baby was almost due in days' time.

But even then, she didn't take her eyes off his lips; and she tried to do it furtively as she observed the little movements that it was doing while he was driving her to the pastry shop.

How his lips thinned when he was trying to look ahead of the road.

How he gently bit his lips in irritation when the traffic light went red while he was about to cross.

How his lips turned to a curve when he was smiling at her.

Oh gosh. Now she was imagining what shape it would take when he was kissing her.

She was too preoccupied in watching his lips, that he already noticed her. "Is there something wrong with my face?" Athrun took a quick glance at the blonde seated beside him, but immediately averted his gaze back to the road. "You've been looking here at my direction for some time now."

"Who says I was looking at you?" As usual, whenever Cagalli was caught in situations like these, she would try to deny the truth.

"Well, I'm only scenic view you have here." Athrun grinned, causing Cagalli to notice the change of movement in his lips.

She somehow sensed that Athrun would find out if she gave in, and she didn't want that to happen because he would tease her to death. "You're so full of yourself Athrun Zala of ZAFT. I wasn't looking at you. I was looking at the window."

"Why were you looking at the window?"

"Because…" Then she couldn't say anything because she was really looking at him. "Just because okay? It's not you! Stop asking me!"

"Okay, okay!" Athrun gave in and continued to drive quietly. It wasn't advisable to make her mad at this point in time. Who knows what tantrums she might just pull? He didn't want her to just walk out of the car, and he'd have to chase her and to plead her to get back inside. He didn't want to be locked from his own room and sleep in the couch, his bed was way too comfortable than his couch. He didn't want to be strangled to death; he still wanted to do a lot of things in his life.

It was nice to know that Athrun didn't question her further, or else, she would have lost to him and admitted that she was staring at him. Well, staring at his lips to be more precise.

She wouldn't have been daydreaming about his lips if it weren't for him in the first place. That's right, Athrun Zala was at fault.

Of course it was during that Valentine's dinner that they had. He gave her a light peck on the forehead out of nowhere. She was about to protest when he did that, but she turned red, not in embarrassment but because she was feeling all of these butterflies in her stomach combining the insane thumping of her heart and the warm cozy feeling that it gave her.

Since then, she couldn't take the kiss out of her mind. What was worse is that she didn't know why she couldn't. Athrun kissed her in the past, so it was weird that she felt all of those weird sensations all at the same time when he kissed her forehead.

Well maybe because it felt different. Different in the sense that she and Athrun kissed, rather, they almost ate each other, during the first time they met out of lust. The kiss on the forehead was entirely different. Cagalli swore that he wasn't emitting the 'I'm-so-turned-on-right-now-let's-have-sex' aura. It was so gentle… and even loving.

Did she just think of that?

Loving?

Seriously?

Even if Athrun had already noticed and asked her about why she was staring at him, she still stole glances of his lips while they were nearing the pastry shop.

Something was definitely wrong with her.

-o0o-

"Where were you last night?" Miriallia asked Shiho, who was slouching on one of the chairs of Cagalli's office. "You came home so late that I was starting to worry about whether you got mugged or something."

"Ohh… Sorry about not giving you a call." Shiho said to her as she stood up straight. "I went out last night."

"Obviously." Miriallia rolled her eyes at her answer. "If you weren't out, then I wouldn't have been waiting for you to come back. So what were you doing?"

"I went out with Yzak last night, sorry I didn't even tell you about it." Shiho answered her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"WHAT?" Miriallia was surprised with what her friend just said. "But… but… but… you… you… him… what…" Now, she was hyperventilating. She really couldn't believe that Shiho went out with him. Yzak and Shiho were going out? Since when were they a couple? They weren't even friends in the first place! All they do was bicker with each other and now she finds out that they're going out?

"Did you seriously go out with him?" Cagalli wasn't as flustered like Miriallia was, but she sure was taken aback herself. Why was Shiho keeping this a secret from them? "When did you two start dating?"

"Start dating?" Shiho almost screamed at the top of her lungs when she heard that. "What the hell are you guys talking about?"

"Well you said that you went out with him!" Miriallia also yelled back. The sight of a very baffled Miriallia was something to laugh at. She was still inhaling and exhaling furiously while she asked her in a very loud voice.

"I did! But not on a date!" Shiho defended herself. It wasn't really a date.

"But why did you go home so late?" Cagalli wasn't convinced with her answer. "Surely that was a date!"

"It wasn't!" Shiho insisted. "We just went out for a movie and then his stupid car broke down on him. He told me to get a taxi but then I felt bad about leaving him behind."

"You went out for a movie?" Cagalli was still processing everything that Shiho said to them.

"Yes…" Shiho nodded. "Is that bad?"

"Since when were you two…" Cagalli swallowed hard before continuing her sentence. "…friends?"

Shiho uneasily cleared her throat before responding. "Since Valentine's Day."

"Since when?" Miriallia started to breathe abnormally yet again. "Valentine's Day? Are you sure you're just friends?"

"Yes I am sure!"

"Whatever!"

"Why won't you believe me?"

"Just because!"

"Because what?"

"Chill!" Cagalli got between the two of them before they pulled each other's hair. "Why are you two screaming now?"

"Because!" Shiho and Miriallia pointed at each other.

"Because of what?" Cagalli looked at the both of them.

Then suddenly the three of them were laughing.

"I'm sorry!" Miriallia pounced in Shiho and gave her a very tight hug. "I was just so surprised!"

"It's okay!" Shiho's eyes were teary because of so much laughter.

"But I don't really understand…" Cagalli started to say. "How did the two of you become friends all of a sudden? Aren't you always fighting with each other and violently denying it when we assume that you two are friends?"

"Okay fine, I'll tell you the story." Shiho ran her fingers down her hair because it got so messed up and sat back down the couch. Cagalli and Miriallia, being so curious about what happened, sat at each of Shiho's side to listen.

"Because you two had dates and left me all alone, I almost spent the rest of the evening being all upset and emotional about being all by myself at the café."

"Then?" The two girls beside her waited for her to continue.

"Then Yzak suddenly popped out of nowhere and asked if he could sit down with me."

"You said yes right?" Miriallia was too excited to not interrupt Shiho.

"Yes." She nodded. "It was weird you know. He even treated me to a frappucino and was even talking in a calm demeanor."

The two of them were waiting for her to say something more, but she didn't.

"That's it?" Miriallia asked her, unable to believe that she wasn't talking anymore. "There were no 'Hey worthless woman! Why are you here?' or something of the sort?"

"Nope." She shook her head.

"Wow. Then you two weren't insulting each other?"

"Nope."

"So you went to the movie last night right?"

"Yep."

"Nothing else happened?"

"Nope."

"You didn't kiss?"

"Kiss?" Cagalli blushed when she heard that.

"Miriallia!" Shiho couldn't help but give her friend a light punch on the shoulder.

Kiss.

Lips.

Athrun.

Oh no. Cagalli started to think about it again.

"Hey." Miriallia was snapping her fingers near Cagalli's face. "You're spacing out."

"Yeah sorry about that…" She scratched her head in embarrassment. "I just thought of something…"

"And that something is?"

Cagalli was debating with herself. Would she finally tell them what was going on with her head for the past few days. Of course it was unreasonable if she wouldn't tell them. After all, these two, are her two bestest friends in the whole wide world. But then again, she wasn't unsure of why she was thinking of that as well!

And then she finally decided to tell them, they might help her figure out why she was feeling and thinking that way.

"Tell us what's bothering you." The auburn-haired girl gave her a reassuring smile.

"I… I… The… I… Uhm… How…" She stammered for her words. Deciding to tell Miriallia and Shiho was one thing, but finally telling them was another thing. She had an issue when it comes to voicing out what was running through her mind.

"You can do it Cagalli!" Miriallia was being the supportive best friend and encouraging her to say what she had to say. She was gently tapping her back while cheering her all the while. "Trust me, it'll get out of your lips soon enough!"

"Uhm…" Cagalli's cheeks started to redden as she thought of what she was about to say. It was really embarrassing to tell them, but she should.

And Shiho and Miriallia patiently waited for her to say it out loud.

"I've been staring at Athrun's lips for many days now!" She figured that if she said what was on her mind without hesitations instead of stuttering and blushing to death, then they could save a lot of time and actually talk about her dilemma. "And, and, I just can't get it out of my mind! Then staring at it makes me want to kiss him! Then when he was taking me to work a while ago, a Bruno Mars song played and I found it so applicable in that situation! It's so weird! Why am I thinking that?" Her words came out with a pant. A drop of sweat also rolled down from her forehead, and it wasn't even hot! She never knew that telling something so top secret was so tiring.

Both of them were silent, even after Cagalli's intense revelation. They didn't know whether to laugh because she looked so nervous as ever and looked like she peed in her pants already. Or to give her a strong whack on the head and scream: "You're such an idiot! You so like him! Just admit it! Tell him already! He likes you too! Oh come on, everyone else knows! Why are you two so clueless?"

And because they couldn't decide on what to do, they remained quiet, which caused Cagalli to feel more uncomfortable about the situation.

Saying everything that was on her mind in just less than ten minutes, plus the silent treatment that she was getting from her best friends made her lose it.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Cagalli looked at both of her friends that still weren't talking. She stood up and started to pace back and forth around the room while scratching her head all the while. "Oh my, I am a crazy person. Oh my, I am a crazy person." She kept repeating those words aloud. True enough, she was acting like one.

The two of them just looked at her like she was a weird alien that came out of nowhere. Seriously. A minute ago she was so normal, laughing and listening to Shiho's story about why she became friends with Yzak. Now, it was like some lunatic demon possessed her, because she just looked like she escaped from a mental hospital.

"Okay. Breathe Cagalli." Shiho stood up from her chair and grabbed a hold of Cagalli's shoulders. "Relax okay? Breathe!"

"But I really can't!" Cagalli managed to slip from her grip and scurried around the room like she was a late for work. "Can't you explain why I keep on looking at it?"

"Wait a minute." Miriallia pulled her to the direction of her couch and motioned for her to sit, to which she complied.

"Miri… Help me… I don't know why I'm thinking like this!"

"When did this start?" She asked her.

"Uhm, when he kissed me on the forehead during Valentine's Day!" Cagalli's words were yet again just slipping out of her mouth. "Then after that, I really couldn't sleep well because I kept thinking about it!"

"Really?" Shiho wasn't even surprised, but acted like she was. "Why did he do that?"

"I don't know." She shook her head. "We were just having a dinner and then he was hugging me and then he gave me a kiss on my forehead." The words were loud, but then Miriallia and Shiho couldn't understand most of what she was saying.

Cagalli hadn't been slurring her words in a long time. And she only acted like that when she was already in love with Shinn and she didn't even know of it herself. Miriallia knew exactly what was happening to her.

Cagalli was in love with him.

But she couldn't tell her that.

She had to find that out for herself.

"Why don't you ask him if you could, you know, kiss him?" Miriallia suggested.

"Are you crazy?" Cagalli hollered at her. Seriously, what was Miriallia thinking? Knowing Athrun, he would be too full of himself, which would mortify her a lot more. "Why would I ask him that stupid question?"

"So you can solve the mystery behind his lips!" Miriallia and Shiho looked at each other knowingly. "Then you can sleep comfortably at night because you got your answer!"

"You know, you're right!" Cagalli was sure glad that she opened up to the two of them. And they were right, the only way to find out why she was thinking like that, was if she gets to kiss his lips. She stood up and dashed to the door.

"Wait where are you going?" Shiho asked her before Cagalli completely vanished from their sight.

"I'm going to ask him of course!" She didn't even hug them goodbye, or even look back at her two best friends that were still seated on the couch.

"I hope she figures it out already. Let me rephrase that, I wish they both come around." Shiho slumped back to her laidback position a while ago and yawned. "It's been taking too long that it's making me impatient."

"Me too. I hope she comes back here while holding hands with him."

"Hmm… Even though I want them to be a couple already, I don't think they'll be a couple just yet. I bet you five hundred dollars."

"Fine!" Miriallia stuck her tongue out. "But I know I'll win."

"Let's just see about that."

-o0o-

Before Cagalli even knew it, she was already outside of her pastry shop, walking aimlessly. How the hell did she get in front of the department store that was five blocks away?

Lunch break was almost over so she needed to go back. As she was about to turn around and walk back to her pastry shop, her cell phone beeped. It was a message from Miriallia.

"_Don't worry about the shop. We'll take over while you're gone! Take all the time you possibly need. ;)"_

She was feeling all hot and tense so she decided to enter the department store just so she could cool herself down. She needed that, she figured. She really needed that. After all, she was feeling very heated up at the moment. With a deep breath, she entered the store through the revolving door and looked around for stuff that she wasn't even going to buy. As she walked around the store, she unconsciously landed on the infants section.

She looked through the displays on the shelf, everything looked so cute. From the stuffed toys to the bottles of milk to the baby-sized clothes that were neatly folded. Excitement filled up her whole body. She really couldn't wait for her baby to come out. She imagined playing with her little boy, carrying him from his cute blue crib that she and Athrun brought last week.

What did it feel like really? She and Athrun, playing with their baby boy…

Like a family.

She was thinking about him again.

Shaking her head violently, she went back to browsing at the infant clothes that were on display to distract herself from doing it yet again.

That was until she saw a shade of navy blue near her.

"_Athrun?"_ Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know that she would run into him right now. She wasn't ready yet!

To her disappointment, it wasn't the sex machine. But to her surprise, it was Aunt Leonore, shopping for clothes.

"Cagalli honey!" Leonore enthusiastically approached her, like she always did, and gave her a light hug. "I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Me too!" She gave a shy laugh. She just thought that Aunt Leonore was Athrun! She was thinking of him that often! But hey, that was excusable! Because Athrun looked a lot like her mother.

"I was just looking at these!" Leonore held out some clothes for her to see. "I was about to buy this for your cute little boy! What do you think?"

"Those are cute!" And Cagalli wasn't even lying as she felt the fabric. The pajamas that Aunt Leonore held out had prints of baby animals. She imagined her baby wearing those adorable pajamas, and she would be watching her as he slept peacefully.

"I'm glad you like it!" She smiled at Cagalli. "I was about to buy all of these as well." A basket full of baby clothes appeared out of nowhere. Cagalli's eyes widened, it was like Aunt Leonore didn't want their baby boy to repeat outfits.

"All of that?" Cagalli gasped when she saw the piles of clothes on the basket. She never even bought that much! "Seriously?"

"Yes." Leonore gave her a shy smile. "I just got so excited! It's my first time shopping for a baby boy you know." That's right, when Athrun was a baby; almost all of the clothes that he wore were girl clothes. No wonder Aunt Leonore got excited when she found out that their baby was a boy!

"All of these?" If she were to buy all of these, she would be too embarrassed to make Aunt Leonore pay for all of these. "I can pay for some other stuff."

"Nonsense!" Leonore pulled the basket away from her reach. "All of these are my gift to your baby! So don't worry about it okay?"

"Okay then!" She nodded, it was best to just let her pay for all of these, or they would be spending another half an hour arguing about who would pay whenever they went shopping, but then Leonore would end up winning, like always.

"So why are you in the mall at this time of the day? Shouldn't you be at work?" Leonore figured that Cagalli would most likely be at her pastry shop. But here she was, wandering around the mall, alone.

"Well…" Cagalli stuttered. She definitely could not say that she was here because she was clearing her mind! "I was walking around!"

But Leonore wasn't convinced, and gave her a look that urged her to continue talking.

"Because I was uhh…" Cagalli paused for a moment to search for her words. "How do I put this… I was thinking about…"

"About the baby?" Leonore continued for her, but it wasn't really the real reason why her mind was so preoccupied.

"Yes…. And also… about Athrun actually, I'm feeling very nervous…" That was all that she could say to her.

"Don't worry about him!" Leonore assured her. "I'm sure that he'll be the perfect father that you expect him to be!" That also wasn't the one that Cagalli was worrying about, but at least she knew that he'd be a great father to their baby. She felt the compassion that he had for their baby boy. He even assembled the crib that they bought himself, instead of making one of his servants do it.

"And it this makes you feel any better," She added. "You're the first girl that he brought back to the house and the first one that he formally introduced to us."

"Are you serious?" She didn't want to believe it. Knowing Athrun, he had a number of girlfriends already.

"Yes, I'm serious!" Leonore nodded. "I met his girlfriends because I just bump into them or give Athrun a surprise visit."

"But why?" Cagalli couldn't help but wonder, but yes, it was flattering to know that she was the only one that was formally introduced to Aunt Leonore and Uncle Patrick. She just found it so weird.

"I don't really know myself." Then her face turned into a teasing one. "Maybe he was just waiting for the right girl to introduce to us don't you think?"

Cagalli blushed when she heard that, but couldn't find the words to say to her. What if he just did that because she was already pregnant?

What she didn't know was, Leonore was telling her a fact. When he was young, Athrun promised her and Patrick that if ever he was to bring a girl back home, which would mean that the thought of marrying that girl, crossed his mind.

And Leonore and Patrick approved of Cagalli, one hundred percent.

But she hasn't realized that yet.

-o0o-

"_You're the first girl that he brought back to the house…"_

"_The first one that he formally introduced to us…"_

"_Maybe he was just waiting for the right girl to introduce to us, don't you think?"_

Aunt Leonore's words kept echoing inside her head.

The first girl eh?

Was she really the…?

No, maybe she was just overacting. There was no way that she was the 'right one' that Aunt Leonore was talking about.

Maybe she was…

Impossible.

There was just no way. With his looks, he totally deserved someone better, someone that would match his ridiculously handsome looks.

Of course it was natural to introduce her right? After all she was already pregnant… So it was normal right?

But why was she the first? She didn't understand why he didn't even bother bringing his over possessive and bitchy ex, that Meyrin girl, to the Zala household. After all, she was his girlfriend for three years right?

She didn't understand how his head functions at times.

Cagalli was seated on one of the swings at the park, the park that she and Athrun went during his birthday, and she was still undecided on what to do. She didn't know if she should ask Athrun if she could kiss him, or just turn away and walk back to the pastry shop. She was too embarrassed to ask him, and she was too tired to walk back to the pastry shop. She forgot her wallet when she stormed out of the pastry shop. It was a good thing that she brought her phone with her, so she immediately texted Miriallia where she was and told her not to worry, because Miri and Shiho were already freaking out that Cagalli still wasn't back.

While seated in one of the swings, she couldn't help but think about it. There was really a big part of her that wanted to know why she wanted to kiss him, besides the fact that she found him preposterously attractive. She knew it was something else, something more than that. She had feelings for him alright, but she wanted find out if those feelings were like the ones that she harbored for Shinn before.

Feelings of love.

Or maybe more than what she felt for Shinn.

That's right. She remembered this kind of sensation when she was with Shinn before. Her heart always skipped a beat whenever he did something romantic and all. A smile was always plastered on her face, even though there was nothing really to smile about.

But then this was somehow different from what she felt towards Shinn. She didn't know why her legs feel like jelly while she was always around Athrun. Even when she's not with Athrun, she felt like the weird sensation was stuck with her. And even before Cagalli stared to stare at his lips, she didn't deny that she was thinking about him, very often. Not to mention that her face is always red when she's with Athrun. And this time, her heart skips a beat even though Athrun does nothing.

Besides, she was also comfortable of the thought of him and her cuddling all day, like they always do…

Oh my…

Was she?

Before she could even process her thoughts more and come up with a conclusion, a voice interrupted her.

"So, what are you doing here?"

Of course, speak of the ridiculously handsome sex machine devil.

"Hi." She knew that didn't answer his question. But there was no way she was telling him that she was thinking about him all day.

And the day before…

And the week before…

"Okay…" Athrun chuckled before sitting down next to her. "Why are you skipping work today hmm?"

"I wasn't!" Cagalli retorted.

"So what part of sitting in the playground and disappearing from work since lunch break isn't part of skipping work?"

"How did you even find me?" Cagalli avoided answering the question, by asking him another one.

"I have my sources." He said knowingly.

"Like Miriallia?" Cagalli let out a 'pfft'. Miriallia and Shiho were the only ones that knew where she was, or it's just that Athrun was squandering all of his money on tracking her and sending spies to follow her. It was most likely the first one.

He winked at her, confirming that it was from Miriallia. That same wink, which led her stomach flutter with all the butterflies that she housed there and her face beet red.

"Hmp sorry." She looked down at her feet that were swaying side by side. "I was just thinking about things, you know?"

"It's okay. I can understand that." He gave her a reassuring smile. He knew that she might be nervous about the upcoming important date.

Cagalli remained silent at this, but she let out a really anxious sigh.

"What are you thinking about? What kind of things?"

"Nothing…"

"Are you sure?" Of course he wasn't convinced that it was about nothing.

"Yes I am sure!"

Athrun didn't want to ask her any further, he figured that if she wanted to tell her, then she should, but he wouldn't force her to.

"So… Shall we go home now?" Before she knew it, he was already in front of her and reaching out his hand to her.

Cagalli was unresolved if she should bring up the big question. But she didn't know if she should be really asking him about giving her a kiss. Frankly, she was just scared to ask him. She got his hand and stood up anyway.

As they started to walk, she realized that Athrun wasn't letting go of her head. And she felt her heart doing a weird rhythm.

"Hey." She let go of his hand and stopped walking. Athrun was surprised at the gesture but turned around to look at her.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, there is something that I've wanted to ask you all day." She looked at the monkey bars to her right, avoiding his gaze.

"What is it?" She felt his eyes boring on her.

"Well uhm… Uhm… Uhm…" There she was again, having difficulty with her words. Why oh why didn't she rehearse on what she was about to say.

He just smiled at her, and waited for her to continue. But he found it so cute when she was all flustered like that and kept looking at her face as it got redder by the second.

"_I can't just say: Heeey, can I kiss you? That would be insane! And kind of awkward! Argh what do I do?"_ She was unconsciously making her hair disheveled.

No matter how much willpower she had, she just couldn't ask him a single question.

And she wondered how he managed to do it without any problem, every single time! He would be like: "Hey I want a kiss."

"Can…" She started. It would be easier to say the words one by one, she figured.

"Can?" He repeated after her.

"I…"

"You?"

'_Two more words Cagalli! Two more! Say the 'kiss you' word already!"_ Even her inner self was cheering for her. How pathetic was that?

"Can I…" The words just couldn't slip out of her mouth. "Can I…"

"_You're almost there! Go for it!"_ She also imagined Miriallia and Shiho giving her moral support.

"Can you…?" It was a good thing that Athrun wasn't an impatient person, and unwearyingly waited for her to continue.

"Can I…" She felt like her face was going to explode out of mortification any minute now. It was so red that she felt her cheeks getting really hot. "Can I…"

She was about to say the 'kiss you' word. She was just about to.

But she felt something inside her break…

"Shit." That was the word that came out, instead of the two words that she was building up the courage to say.

"Can you shit?" Athrun didn't know if he was supposed to laugh at that or not. Was she serious? She was asking that?

"No…" Then the blood on Cagalli's face drained. "You idiot."

Athrun was getting nervous at the way that Cagalli was acting.

"My water broke."

-o0o-

There you have it? Did I lose my writing skills? I felt like the chapter sucked.

Review! Your feedback is very much appreciated, as always.

Additional Notes:

[1] That line is from 'Just The Way You Are', sung by Bruno Mars. Both the song and the singer are not mine.


	30. Special Delivery!

A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry for being delayed for two or three days, I was having a difficulty finding an inspiration, not to mention that everything is getting busy because school is starting, not just for me, but for my siblings as well. So… I think there will be three or more chapters before the ending of the fic. And yes, school is starting next week, so I might not be able to update fast, but surely, it'll be once a week! :D

Back to chapter 30!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 30: Special Delivery!

-o0o-

"My water broke." Cagalli said to him.

Everything seemed so unreal.

Was this really happening to him? Or was this just some dream that he had to be awake from?

Did Cagalli really say that?

Or maybe she was just joking?

But her face paled, the redness of her cheeks drained. She sure didn't look like she was anywhere near 'just joking'.

And at that moment, Athrun Zala, the most brilliant student in any of the classes he took, the president of one of the most well-renowned companies in the entire world, the one whose calm demeanor never faltered even at the most critical situations, reflected the opposite of what he was recognized for, and just stood there, astounded with his mouth wide open, as Cagalli said the three letter word that would change both of their lives forever.

Added to that, he was utterly panicking. The weather wasn't even warm, in fact it was chilly that night, but he was starting to sweat.

"What?" He asked her again, just to make sure. It was kind of stupid to do that, but yeah, Athrun Zala wanted to make sure that it was true that her water just broke.

"My water broke!" This time Cagalli's voice was louder.

Okay, she clearly wasn't joking when she said that.

He remained motionless. It was the most startling revelation he had the whole twenty seven years of his life.

"Athrun!" Cagalli was also panting now. What was Athrun doing standing there looking like an idiot? "Don't just stand there! Do something!" She was annoyed that Athrun didn't even bother carrying her to the hospital.

So he shook his head to calm himself, and started to speak.

"Aren't you supposed to be due next week?" He said in a dreaded tone. He remembered Doctor Murrue say that the baby was supposed to be due on the last week of June. It was still the third week of June, the end part of it though. And it wasn't the reaction that Cagalli was hoping for.

"Then it's not accurate because clearly… Aaahh!" Cagalli aimed to give him a sarcastic reply, but stopped in the middle of her sentence and got a hold of her stomach that started to ache badly. She found herself sitting on the ground because the pain on her stomach started to intensify.

"Cagalli!" Athrun immediately rushed to her side and got her before she even collapsed to the floor. He really didn't know what to do as of the moment. "Are you okay?"

"Damn it Athrun! Do you think I'm anywhere near okay? Drive me to the hospital! Call an ambulance for crying out loud! The baby's going to come out any minute now!" Cagalli screamed at him for being there being plain useless. What happened to all the safety measures they learned in the workshop that they took? Athrun forgot what he was supposed to do when the baby was due.

"Oh right! Sorry…" Athrun inwardly cursed himself. Why was he acting like that anyway? It really wasn't his usual self. He hastily got the phone from his pocket and started to dial the number of the ambulance. He didn't know why he wasn't thinking straight anymore. It was like his brain was going through a series of weird technological malfunctions and he couldn't fix it, no matter how he tried.

But even if Athrun got hold of his phone for a few seconds now, he still wasn't able to dial the ambulance.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cagalli yelled at him, despite the agonizing pain that her stomach was undergoing. With the way Athrun was acting now, they might be delivering the baby at this park.

"W-wait." The phone trembled against Athrun's fingers. He couldn't press the digits that would dial the ambulance's number. No matter how he tried, he kept pressing the wrong number or deleting it, if ever he pressed the right ones. "Shit…" He muttered as he erased the asterisk that he accidentally typed.

He was in that state of hysteria that he forgot that he had his own car to drive Cagalli to the hospital.

Good thing was, Cagalli, even though she's the one that would be giving birth to a baby soon, was still in the right mind.

"Athrun!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. A while ago she wanted to kiss him badly. Right now, she wanted to kill him badly. "You have a car! Damn it! Just drive me to the freaking hospital!"

"Right. Right. Sorry. I'm sorry." He almost wanted to bang his head on the wall. Why was he so stupid? But as much as he wanted to, he still had to bring Cagalli to the hospital so he decided to call it off for now. With one swoop, Cagalli was lifted off the ground. It was a good thing that he still knew how to carry her, he still remembered where he parked his car and he still remembered to open the car and shove Cagalli in, or else Cagalli would be so exasperated that she would whack him with all of her strength.

"Drive faster Athrun! Drive! Hurry!" She used up her remaining energy to nag him to hurry driving. She didn't care if she was annoying the heck out of him. All she knew know was that the baby was coming and Athrun had to take her to the hospital as fast as he could.

And like what happened during the first night that they met, Athrun really picked up his speed and zoomed past the streets. Cagalli saw the thin stick accelerate from a hundred to a hundred and fifty to a hundred and eighty kilometers per hour and it just kept increasing. From the looks of it, Athrun won't be slowing down. Since she couldn't put her seatbelt on, she clutched the sides of her seat for her dear life. She couldn't shout at him to slow the car, she just kept berating him to hurry up a while ago.

Right now, all she wished was to get to the hospital alive.

-o0o-

"I wonder where Cagalli is." Kira asked his girlfriend who was seated beside. Apparently the three of them were supposed have dinner together, but then Cagalli still wasn't home. Kira was getting impatient, he was very hungry. And the pizza that they ordered was getting cold by the minute.

"Probably on the way home." Lacus assured her, thought she was unsure of where Cagalli gone to herself. She was supposed to be home thirty minutes ago.

"Should I give her a call?" Kira asked her. "What if Mister Number One's taking his sweet time in bringing her home just to torture me?"

"Aww come on Kira." Lacus giggled at her boyfriend's thought. Even up till now, he still didn't trust Athrun fully, or maybe Kira was just pretending to dislike Athrun now just so he wouldn't be the one to admit that he somehow like the sex machine for his sister. No way, Kira wouldn't do that. Being naked or any other kind of embarrassment in public was better than saying outright that he was okay with Athrun. "But if makes you feel better to make a call, then make one."

"I'm calling her right now." Kira didn't waste any second as soon as Lacus said he could give her a call. He pressed Cagalli's digits and pressed the phone to his ears.

Eight or nine rings passed and Kira was getting riled up that his sister wasn't answering her phone. What, did she forget that they were having a pizza today? Did she eat with Athrun again in some fancy restaurant?

Before Kira could even slam his phone down and complain to Lacus how she wasn't answering her phone, Cagalli finally answered him.

"Ki-ki-kira." She let out in gasp.

"Cagalli where are you?" Kira tapped the living room table.

"I… I… ca-can't talk… right now." She was still out of breath, and Kira was getting curious by the second.

"What's going on Cagalli?" He asked her, with terror evident in his voice. He feels like something happened to his sister and he doesn't know what. "And where exactly are you? Why aren't you home yet? Did you forget that we're having pizza with Lacus tonight?"

"Can I… just call you… later?" She groaned when he was bombarding him with too many questions.

"What?" Kira tried to stop her from hanging up but he felt that she wasn't listening to him anymore. "Wait Cagalli!"

He was surprised that Cagalli didn't hang up on him; he could still hear voices, but not as clearly as before.

"Athrun!" He heard her sister say. "Faster Athrun! Faster! FASTER ATHRUN!"

What the hell did her sister just say?

"I am going faster!" Athrun retorted, and he was also breathless when he responded. "This is as fast as I can get!"

And what the hell was that reply from Mister Number One?

"You aren't going fast enough Athrun! Faster! Aaaah! Athrun! Aaaah! Aaahhhhhh. Go just a bit faster." His sister was even more out of breath than she already was thirty seconds ago.

Kira swore he felt his face burning when he heard her sister making erotic sounds. Those two were… having sex!

Just what the hell were they doing? Cagalli was due in a week wasn't she? Why were they doing something so indecent? Just when Kira thought that Athrun was a good guy…

"Just a little bit more Cagalli…" Athrun's voice was now trying to console her. "Hold it in just a little bit more."

"I can't."

"You can Cagalli."

"Aaaah. Athrun! It's… Aaaah! It hurts. Make it stop!" Cagalli was now panting like she ran a marathon. "It's almost… Aaahhh."

Kira hung up the phone before he could hear erotic sounds coming out from Athrun as well. That would be really awkward.

"So, where's Cagalli?" Lacus tapped him on the shoulder which caused him to react violently by bouncing up from his seat.

Then when Lacus thought she wouldn't be more startled, Kira started to pace around the living room while messing his hair like crazy. She could hear him muttering something about Athrun and Cagalli and that they were doing something that they shouldn't be doing and how he would kill him for doing that.

"Kira? Is something wrong? What did Cagalli say to you?" Lacus tried to make Kira look at her, but he continued with his unconventional act without even paying attention to her.

"That… that Athrun. Just as I thought, he can't be trusted. Why I ought to give him a piece of my fist when they get here." Kira kept on whispering to himself.

"Kira…"

Lacus was getting somehow annoyed. Kira kept ignoring her… So… Being the nice and understanding girlfriend doesn't work in getting his attention eh?

"Kira, I think I see Cagalli and Athrun in the doorway!" Lacus chimed in with the sweet voice that she always had. That seemed to break Kira's train of thoughts as he rushed past her to open the door.

When he opened the door, he screamed at the top of his lungs. "It's about time that the two of you are back! So did you enjoy your car ride? HUH? Huh Cagalli, did you enjoy the ride that Athrun gave you?"

He expected Cagalli's voice to be all defensive and to say: "Kira, this is not what you think this is!"

But he heard nothing.

When he opened his eyes after the intense scream he just gave his sister, his mouth gagged wide open.

He was screaming at no one.

"Lacus… You… You…" He quickly slammed the door shut after the embarrassment that happened to him. Athrun and Cagalli weren't outside. "You... said… they… were…" Kira's face was beet red from the realization that he was screaming at no one and that the neighbors might think of him as a mad man.

"Well, I'm sorry for doing that." She stuck out her tongue that made Kira blush even more. She just looked so cute when she did that. "It was because you kept ignoring me so I decided to try something to catch your attention."

"You tricked me?" Kira almost didn't want to let it slip out of his mouth, but it did anyway.

"Are you mad at me now?" She gave him a worried look. Maybe she went too overboard this time. Would Kira get angry at her for pulling a joke on him like that? Now that he wasn't in the mood.

"Of course not…" Kira gave him a sheepish smile. "I could never get mad at you for something like that… Even though I was humiliated in public by the joke, no I'm not mad at you." He pulled her into a hug.

"So… do you mind telling me what happened with your phone call with Cagalli now?"

"I almost forgot!" The tender mood that he had towards Lacus was instantly gone and replaced with fury. "Those two were fooling around! I swear Mister Number One will definitely get the blow that he deserves when they arrive!" She swore she even saw his nose flare up and his fists curled into a tight grip.

She never saw Kira so mad than ever before.

But she couldn't even believe it herself. "What do you mean they were fooling around?" Lacus was bewildered. When Kira meant they were fooling around, did he mean the x-rated type of fooling around?

"When I gave her a call, she says that she couldn't talk at the moment and then after a few seconds I hear her letting out all those indecent sounds. Argh!" He pulled his hair out in exasperation. It was a good thing that Lacus was there to make sure that his hair didn't come off. "I'm just so annoyed that they would do something like that!"

"Indecent?" Lacus still wasn't sure whether to believe Kira or not. "What indecent things did she say?"

"Cagalli kept saying 'faster'!" Kira was in an outburst, the red hue started to take over his face again. First he found it awkward that he was talking about it with Lacus, and second, it was his sister they were talking about. "And then Athrun kept saying 'hold it in'!"

"They said that? To each other" Her jaw dropped wide open. Lacus also couldn't contain her bafflement.

He nodded.

"Let me rephrase that… They did it? But, isn't Cagalli due next week?"

Kira nodded, trying to abstain from throwing the things in their house upside down from so much annoyance. "That's why it made me all the more exasperated at the both of them."

"Are you sure that they did it? Maybe we're just misinterpreted whatever they were saying on the phone." Lacus didn't want to believe what Kira was saying. After all, it was typical of Kira to exaggerate stuff like these, especially when it's his sister they were talking about.

"I'm one hundred percent sure!"

"Oh my…"

As the silence between them couldn't get more deafening, Kira's phone rang.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to give a call." He let Lacus take a look at his caller id, it was Athrun.

"Are you going to answer it?" Lacus asked him after he just stared at the caller id for a matter of seconds.

He need not give her a proper answer because he placed the phone on his ears while preparing himself to scream at him.

"YOU BASTARD!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Lacus imagined Athrun pulling away his cell phone from his ears because of Kira's scream. "YOU STILL HAVE THE NERVE TO CALL ME AFTER WHAT YOU DID?"

Kira then shut his mouth for a while; maybe Athrun was trying to explain or rather, making an alibi.

"DON'T ACT LIKE YOU'VE DONE NOTHING!" Kira then retorted, maybe Athrun was still trying to deny. "I HEARD ABOUT WHAT YOU AND CAGALLI WERE SCREAMING ABOUT IN THE CAR!" Lacus had to cover her ears because his voice was too loud.

"STOP PRETENDING LIKE YOU KNOW NOTHIN- whaaat?" From the raging volcano that Kira was like at the moment, it instantly changed into a very stupefied expression. "Where's Cagalli right now?"

Kira's wrath started to fade away after every second and Lacus started to wonder why. Of course she was happy that his head wasn't boiling anymore, but then why wasn't it?

"Okay, okay. We'll go there! Thanks Athrun!" Kira was now smiling for crying out loud!

Lacus wasn't even able to ask what happened with Kira's conversation with Athrun as she was dragged out the door and to the car.

-o0o-

She didn't know how they even got to the hospital in one piece, but they got there.

Everything was a haze for Cagalli. She really wasn't aware of the surroundings. There were a lot of people murmuring around her, but she didn't care. She stared straight ahead and kept looking at the light.

Dozens of lights.

"Everything's going to be okay Cagalli!" Athrun ran with all the nurses and kept reassuring the blonde who got so quiet when they reached the hospital. She was now being rushed to the delivery room. "I swear everything will be fine."

She averted her gaze on him for a while and it was like time stopped for the both on them, even just for a split-second.

He saw fear in her eyes.

It maybe the fear of what may happen during the delivery or maybe even after it. She looked like she was about to cry because of the pain that her stomach was giving her, or it really was just because she was afraid.

That was the moment that he decided that he was going to be there for her, every step of the way.

He entered the delivery room along with the doctors and nurses. Seconds after that, the red light on top of the door blinked.

Kira had to find his way to the room, he turned off his cell phone to avoid any more distractions and put it inside his pocket.

-o0o-

And she thought that the actors that gave birth were just exaggerating when they screamed at the top of their lungs.

It really freaking hurts. Does it really have to be this painful when you're delivering a baby? She felt like she was being stabbed over and over again. The worst part was that she wasn't dying; she just relived the pain again and again with every push that she made. Her toes winced as she felt something coming out of her.

She bit her lip, containing the screech that was pleading to be out. No way would she be like those women who screamed bloody hell and murder. She would act like a mature woman and push, quietly. As she restrained from shouting and screaming like a banshee, she felt her that her insides were being torn apart. This pain was just too much.

"Okay Miss Cagalli, you have to push harder." The doctor instructed her. "Push!"

She wanted to slap the doctor. Scratch that, she wanted to beat the doctor to a pulp. Push harder? Seriously? She was pushing with all that she can! And there the doctor was, telling her that she needed to do better than that. She was itching to tell the doctor to shut up and think if she was the one in her position. But then again she knew she couldn't argue with the doctor and continued to push.

"You can do it Cagalli." Athrun brushed off the wisps of hair that fell on her face. "You can do it."

"Athrun…" She felt tears falling down from her eyes. "I can't. It hurts." It was like a cry for help. She didn't want to do it anymore.

Maybe next time Athrun would learn his lesson and actually use a condom.

"You can do it." He repeated, his determined voice never faltered. He gave her hand a light squeeze.

"I can't…"

"You can." His voice was firm.

She let out a huff as she continued to push.

Why was it that no matter how hard she pushed, the pain still didn't subside? She remembered being there for who-knows-how-long.

"Athrun…" She gripped Athrun's hand, hard. "I can't do this anymore… Enough." She begged for her life. She wondered how her mom even managed to give birth to her and Kira while withstanding this excruciating feeling. "Athrun, make it stop… Please…" She really wanted to give birth to their baby, she really did, but this birth giving was just too painful for her to withstand.

Now, she was cursing Eve, why oh why was she easily swayed by that serpent to eat the forbidden fruit?

If she didn't do that, then maybe it would have been the men that would be experiencing all of these.

"It's okay Cagalli." He decisively said to her as he felt her sharp nails bury themselves on his hands. It hurt, it really did. He even wouldn't be surprised if he saw blood dripping from his hands. But he could take that, the pain from her nails was nothing, compared to the agony that she was undergoing. It sure was tens of a thousand times painful. "I swear, all of this will be worth it. Okay?"

In truth, he wanted to make them stop already. He wanted to tell all the nurses and doctors to get the hell out of the room and leave him and Cagalli alone. He couldn't bear to see Cagalli this hurt, but he knew that he couldn't do anything about it. So he stayed calm as he wiped the tears and sweat on Cagalli's face. There was nothing more that he could do other than to encourage her and to be there for her.

He wanted to see the baby. He wanted to see their baby.

He held on to her hand as she kept grasping it with all her strength.

She took one good look at Athrun before she started to push yet again. She really wanted to blame him for what was happening to her. Like some movies and shows that she watched, the girl would scream and curse at the guy for making this happen to her and while he stands there and does nothing but to say that you could do it. If only he… It was no use now… What was done was done. Like what Miriallia always told her when she was remorseful of what she has done: "No regrets." [1] Besides, she was at fault too.

But then again she really didn't want to do that blame game. Deep inside, she also was excited for the baby.

"Almost there…" The doctor told her.

Cagalli whimpered in pain as she continued to push for her dear life. She was really exhausted. She marveled at the fact that she was sweating more than the athletes playing sports, while she was there, lying down, but soaked in so much sweat.

"A little bit more Cagalli." Athrun enclosed her cringing hands with both of his. "You can do this."

"_All right, screw all of this doubt and pain."_ She thought to herself. _"I'm going to give it my all."_

"I'm here." She heard Athrun say.

That boosted Cagalli's willpower more, because after he said that, she forgot all her inhibitions and screamed at the top of her lungs. She didn't care if she wasn't acting like a mature woman,, she didn't care if her voice suddenly wears out anymore, all that she cared for was, that the baby would finally come out, so that she could take a look at her baby boy.

Screaming actually works. Because of that, she felt that her pushes were getting stronger. Why oh why didn't she think of screaming a while ago?

Athrun was shocked at Cagalli's sudden resolve. A while ago, she was saying that she wanted to give up, but now she was like a soldier that was fighting for her dear life. Her grasp on his hand tightened all the more and he began to wince because he felt that he was now having bruises. But he couldn't care less; all he wanted to do now was to cheer for Cagalli.

She thought that she would reach the limit and just pass out, but hopefully she didn't.

After a few intense pushes and the recurring feeling that she would die, she heard a cry from her baby.

Suddenly everything was a haze. She stared at the blurring ceiling as she listened to the melodic voice of her baby.

Her baby.

"Cagalli… The baby's here." She heard Athrun say. True enough, there he was, all cuddled up in Athrun's arms. He gently laid him down next to Cagalli.

"He's here…" Cagalli marveled at the sight of his baby. She felt her arms made its way to the baby's face. He looked so fragile, yet super cute as he stayed there curled up beside her. He had thin strands of blonde hair. Kira would be so happy to find out that the baby's hair was like hers. But when the baby opened his eyes, Cagalli melted to the emerald orbs that he had. [2]

"You've done well." She felt Athrun kissed her forehead as she continued staring at their baby in amazement.

That kiss…

Alright, no need to ask him for a kiss, he already gave her one. Even though she was worn out after hours of labor, the tint of red never failed to appear on her face.

She was sure of it.

She was sure that she loved Athrun.

And she was certain that she wanted to be a family.

-o0o-

Donnnne! :D What did you think of it? Review! I really appreciate all of your feedbacks!

BTW, I don't know what the baby's name should be… Any suggestions?

See you next chapter. :P

Additional Notes:

[1] "No regrets." Hi Prestin and Ronna. :) I find this quote very, very inspiring.

[2] nareiya: so sorry! I know I asked for your advice on what the appearance of the baby might be, but I still didn't listen. :P It was just that when I was looking at pictures of anime characters with blue hair and auburn eyes, I thought it might have been more suited to a girl rather than to a boy! Hopefully, Athrun and Cagalli will have a baby girl! ;)


	31. True Colors

A/N: After a few times of thinking this issue over, I have decided that I'm discontinuing the fic folks, sorry.

I'M JUST KIDDING! :P

Hey peoplezz. Miss me? Sorry for late update! :( The first few weeks of school was so hectic! Professors kept dumping new readings and stuff that needed to be done, so thereee. And I was always distracted because of facebook, twitter and tumblr… Argh. Sorry again!

To be honest, I had a really hard time deciding what the name of the baby should be. A lot of the reviewers were saying that I should name him Alex or Aiden, but considering that this was the common name for any AsuCaga baby, I tried to google for good names so that I would come up with a unique and cute name, but failed miserably. So the name of the baby is just something that popped out of my mind out the blue… you'll just have to read it to find out. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 31: True Colors

-o0o-

"_He's just so cute."_ Cagalli thought to herself, with the wave of tenderness overpowering all of her senses.

It was so odd that she was just sitting beside his crib while her eyes were locked on the sleeping figure, not even bothering to stand up from her chair. Cagalli was a woman that got impatient once she sat down even just for a few minutes. She always wanted to be preoccupied doing something. But this was really different; she was doing it for a few days now. Every moment, every cringe, every intake of breath, it all looked so cute and angelic in Cagalli's eyes that it made her not want to leave the baby's side.

Nine months. She carried this baby inside her stomach for nine months. All those times of struggle of wearing flowery dresses everyday, Athrun's effort of fetching her to and from work every single day, the agony of not getting to play her favorite sport, she even remembered the unbearable pain that she underwent during the labor. But looking at the peaceful form of the baby, all she could say to herself was, it was nothing. The joy of having him now was thousand of times more worth it all.

So this was the sentiment that mothers feel around their children. Filial love. It's this kind of love that would try to kill anyone that tried to hurt him, this kind of love that even harbored more devotion to the baby, rather than herself or any other person.

She loved Robby more than anyone.

Robby was his nickname, but his real name was Robert. [1] Yep. That was the name of her baby. And it suited him perfectly, well, in her opinion anyways.

Naming him Robert took a long debate between her and, well, everyone else. Well, at first she and Athrun were the only ones thinking about it, and then the rest of the gang came along. Hours after she gave birth to Robby and after she rejuvenated herself, Kira and Lacus was there the moment she opened her eyes. And soon after that, Miriallia, Shiho, Yzak and Dearka came rushing to see her and the baby. Then Aunt Leonore and Uncle Patrick came as well.

At first, only Athrun was there with her, so they brainstormed for a few names that they liked.

Alex, was the first name that she thought of. She already was enthusiastic about naming him Alex, but Athrun violently shook his head no. When she asked him why, it turned out that 'Alex' was the name of the guy that Meyrin cheated on him with. Although he says that he's completely over Meyrin, Athrun told her that he'd rather have that name dead by now if he could because his blood boiled every time he heard the name, so Cagalli didn't even bother to insist the name.

Aiden, was the name that Athrun suggested. Then it was Cagalli's turned to shake her head furiously. It was the name of her creepy stalker back in high school, so the name Aiden was a no-no.

Michael? Too common. A lot of the people they know are called Michael.

Christopher? Naaah. Although the name is pretty okay to the both of them, it didn't seem to fit their baby.

John? Tss. It was like Michael. Common, and yes ordinary.

Nicholas? No way. It reminded both of them of Santa Claus.

William? The name was too prince-like.

Peter? The name was too 'Disney'. [2]

So deciding what the baby's name would be was so hard. Why didn't they prepare for that even before the baby was born? Now they were getting so caught up in deciding what they would name him.

The two of them were still undecided and it was a good thing that the others finally came to their rescue. They thought they were going to be of help, but they suggested strange names for their baby boy.

Kira suggested that they name him Yamato, but everyone wobbled their heads in disagreement, much to his violent apprehension. Kira didn't know why everyone else didn't like the name, for him, the name Yamato was pretty cool. It reminded him of that ace pilot in the anime that he watched back in high school.

Lacus proposed that they name him Usui, since he looked like was similar to the famous actor, with his green eyes and blonde hair, he really looked like he was Usui's son. But Athrun didn't want that, so did Cagalli.

Miriallia and Shiho were both so romantically cliché, they wanted the baby's name to be a combination of Athrun and Cagalli's name. At first it appeared to be interesting, but then when they heard of their thoughts of naming the baby 'Athalli' or 'Cathrun', they concluded that merging their names into one wasn't a good idea at all.

Patrick wanted them to name the baby "Patrick Junior", he said that it was the most appropriate name for the baby, but Leonore retorted that the name wasn't original and she didn't like the name for the baby, so she suggested that they name him, Fernando. It was answered with a series of no-way-in-the-hell kind of reaction.

Yzak told them to name him Auel, which sounded like Fuel. Where he got that name, all of them didn't know and they didn't want to find out.

Dearka's suggestion was Sting. What the hell. Athrun couldn't help but point that it was the most idiotic name he had ever heard. Cagalli also added that the name must have been taken from the energy drink that was growing popular nowadays, and that it sounded like a gangster's name.

And then at some moment of their brainstorming, the name Robert suddenly popped out of Cagalli's head. She remembered how her mom wanted to name her other son, Robert, if ever she got the chance to be pregnant again. Everyone then agreed to it, since they couldn't think of anything that would be more decent than Robert.

So Robert it was.

And it really fit him perfectly.

"I'm home."

"Eep! Athrun!" She couldn't help but let out a helpless whimper. Her head jerked upwards when she felt Athrun's hand rest on her head. The sex-machine really scared the heck out of her. How long was he behind her? She didn't even hear him come inside the house. So, was he a ninja now?

"Tsk tsk." She heard the mocking sounds come out of his mouth. "Say, if it was a burglar, then everything in the house would be gone by the time I get back from work and you still won't be able to notice."

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I was just busy in looking after Robert."

"That's okay." He let out a light chuckle. He found it cute that Cagalli was too preoccupied with Robert. Kinda jealous because she was paying more attention to him now, but Robert would be the only boy that Athrun wanted Cagalli to love more.

"I can't believe that I can't even tear myself away from him for a few minutes." She told him while he undressed from his work clothes.

"I see. I'll look after Robert; you should go and take a bath now." He told her in a nonchalant tone.

"WHAAAAT?" Cagalli bolted up from her seat and stared at him defiantly. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me." Athrun sat on where she once was and looked at her. "I said that you can take a bath now. I know that you were too preoccupied in looking after Robert while I was at work and that you've been neglecting your hygiene recently. You know, you shouldn't forget to take a bath…"

"Are you trying to say that I'm…" Cagalli didn't even want to say it out loud. What the heck was he saying? She loved taking baths? She always took a bath or two everyday. Now that she thought of it, she did take a bath a while ago! Why was Athrun telling her to take a bath?

"Baby Robert doesn't want a stinky mommy around her, isn't that right Robert?" Athrun cooed their baby. For Cagalli, it would have looked super cute at that moment, but the wave of panic that she was smelt horrible was the only thing that was running through her head.

"I'm not stinky! I'm not…" Cagalli tried to sniff in an obscure manner, but Athrun's laugh indicated that she had done the opposite.

When Athrun continued to mock her with his laughter, she turned to him, looking baffled. "Am I stinky?"

"Hmm…" Athrun didn't answer her immediately like she expected him to. Instead, she saw his nose cringed in a horrible kind of way, the sign that he smelled something that was unpleasant to the nose. "I think I smell something weird these days… I can't put my finger on it… It's not Robert, it certainly is not."

"I'M NOT STINKY!" Cagalli couldn't believe that someone would even dare to call her that. She knew that she wasn't, but the look on Athrun's face may have made her doubt that she wasn't.

As usual, she was pacing around the room like she was a lunatic while disheveling her hair in the process. Athrun grabbed her wrist and turned her face him. "Calm down Cagalli!"

"But… but… but… you said I smell stinky."

"You're so cute." He snickered as he drew her closer. "I was just kidding Double P. You always take my jokes seriously."

"So I don't smell bad?" Relief washed over her.

"You never smelt bad. In fact, you smell nice." He told her, sending chills all over her spine.

His face as so close to hers, so much close, that she was actually finding her gaze shifting down from his gorgeous green eyes, to his lips again.

The lips that she was fantasizing to kiss for how many weeks now.

Oh gosh no. She was starting to be all crazy yet again.

Crazy in love.

Then the hue of red crept up to her face that she released from his grip turned away from him.

"Where are you going?" Athrun asked her and obviously found it weird that she was acting that way for a few weeks now.

"I'm going to take a shower!" She declared as she got her towel and entered the bathroom.

"Heeeey!" Athrun ran after her. "I said I was joking!"

"I know!" Cagalli assured him, but was still in the bathroom anyway. "I'll take a bath again so I know that I don't smell bad!"

"Are you mad at me for pulling of a joke like that?" He stared at her with puppy dog eyes that she found so cute.

"Of course not!" She tried to remove his hand that was preventing the bathroom door to close.

"Oh come on!" He was stubborn, and didn't let go of the door. And because he was a lot stronger than Cagalli, she had a tough time in prying his hand off. "Get out of the bathroom!"

"I want to take a bath now!" She told him.

But he still didn't release his hand from the door.

It was a good thing that they heard Robert cry, maybe because the two of them were being so noisy now, so Athrun had to attend to him because Cagalli refused to go out of the bathroom.

Once he went to Baby Robert's side, she immediately shut the door to the bathroom lock. She sighed as she leaned on the door with her hands on her cheeks. Her face was so hot, maybe from all the blushing.

Seriously, now that she realized that she liked, or maybe even loved Athrun. She sure was acting weird around him. She always avoided him whenever he would go near her and it was weird that she was doing that. She can't even converse with him normally now. Wasn't she supposed to be liking the proximity of her and Athrun together? So why was she doing the opposite?

Love. Like. Love. Like. Love. Like.

She didn't know what it was.

Ugh. She must have a talk with Miriallia and Shiho so that she could analyze these weird feelings.

Maybe she should take a bath, so she could cool down.

Yeah she should.

-o0o-

"What's good to eat?" Athrun asked them as they got out of his car. It was their lunch break and they were walking around the mall.

"We're eating at the mall again? Seriously? Why aren't we heading to the pastry shop?" Dearka pouted in disappointment when Athrun parked his car at the mall close by their office. Sure the mall had a lot of restaurants, but he wanted to see Miriallia. "We haven't been going there for days!"

"What a stupid question." Yzak sighed to himself. "That's because Athrun's Cagalli isn't there." He reminded him as they walked around the mall, trying to find a good place where they could eat lunch. It was true, now that Cagalli was still recovering at home, Athrun rarely, or even never, drove by the pastry shop.

"But that's unfair!" Dearka was acting like a little boy that was deprived of his candy! I don't get to see Miriallia often now!"

"Awww. That's too bad." Yzak tried to make him feel better, but the nonchalant tone in his voice registered as indifferent and sadist to Dearka.

"You ass!" Dearka punched him on the shoulder. "Aren't you also upset that you don't get to see Shiho?"

"Nonsense. Who says that I want to see Shiho?" The offhand tone of his voice never wavered.

"Don't pretend that you and Shiho still fighting like old ladies!" Dearka gave him a sly smile. "I know that you two have been in good terms lately… Even watching a movie together…"

"Wha-" Now Yzak was rendered speechless. He couldn't deny that what Dearka said was not the truth.

"So my sources weren't lying." Dearka snickered when he saw his reaction. His source, of course, was Miriallia.

"I guess that's a good place to eat in." Yzak pointed at a newly opened Japanese restaurant, clearly trying to change the topic.

"Oh… So this is the Japanese restaurant that I saw in the commercial yesterday." And it apparently worked. Dearka was nodding his head. "Yeah, I think we should try this one. What do you think Athrun?"

No answer.

"You deaf Athrun?" Yzak added.

The both of them turned to their left side, where supposedly Athrun was. But they found out that he even wasn't there.

"Where the hell is that guy?" Dearka turned back to search for him and he seemed nowhere to be found.

The two of them retraced their steps and searched for their friend. They were both so sure that Athrun was just trailing along behind them; they didn't even notice that he was missing up until now. That was why Dearka was finding it weird that Athrun was teasing Yzak as well, it turned out that he wasn't even with them anymore.

"Maybe he changed his mind and headed to the pastry shop?" Dearka had a tinge of optimism in him.

"Of course not." Yzak destroyed Dearka's every bit of hope that they would be heading to the pastry shop. "When Cagalli will start working again, then we can expect Athrun to always drive to the pastry shop."

"But still…" Dearka tried to reason while they were looking for Athrun. "We're still helping Cagalli if we go there and help boost their revenues!"

"Oh there he is." Yzak finally saw him.

Then they finally saw him, standing in the middle of the mall, lost in his own thoughts. And his gaze was fixed on one area.

"Hey man, we thought you got lost!" Dearka put his arm around Athrun's shoulders. "If we didn't get to find you after a few minutes of walking, me and Yzak were supposed to page you over the P.A.!"

"Oh right. Sorry about that." It appeared that Athrun wasn't even listening at the both of them.

"So where should we eat?" Yzak asked him. "Dearka and I were thinking about eating at that new restaurant on the third flo-…"He stopped even before finishing what he was about to say.

"Hnn…"

Noticing that Athrun and Yzak weren't talking now, Dearka decided to chime in. These two would be so quiet around each other, if it weren't for him always doing the talking." Or we could eat in the Filipino restaurant that we used to eat in." Dearka suggested when Athrun expressed utter disinterest at Yzak's idea.

"Hnn…" The same reaction. His response was an indicator that he wasn't even paying attention to what the two of them were saying.

"Quackdonalds?"

"Hnn…"

"Are you even listening?" Dearka turned to look at Athrun who was still distracted by something.

"Hnn…" Athrun nodded but still didn't look at the both of them.

He felt his eyebrow twitch. Dearka was getting annoyed, which he found weird because he thought that it was Yzak that would be pissed with Athrun's unresponsiveness, one more 'hnn' from him, he swore that he'll punch him so that he'll awake from his daydream. "Damn you Zala! Listen to me! What are you looking at anyway?"

Yzak tapped Dearka's shoulder and pointed to the direction that Athrun was looking at, it was a jewelry store.

A ring on the jewelry store to be exact.

Oh…

So that was why Yzak didn't seem so impatient and riled up with Athrun's imperturbable 'hnn's.

Athrun Zala was looking at a ring on display for a while now. They were certain because those were the only ones on display.

And they knew that Athrun wasn't gay to like those gem-studded rings.

Yzak and Dearka exchanged knowing looks with each other. At that moment, they perfectly knew what was running through their friend's head. There was really no doubt about it.

Dearka wanted to slap himself for even getting irritated a while ago, and also for being that stupid to not notice what Athrun was contemplating over.

"I think the ring with the purplish gem stone suits her perfectly. But maybe for an engagement ring though…" Yzak told him, which led Dearka's jaw to drop. How on earth did Yzak know what was on Athrun's head. Wait a minute, maybe they were sending each other signals. Since when were Athrun and Yzak talking to each other telepathically?

Then the most unforeseeable event in Dearka and Yzak's lives happened.

Athrun Zala, the President of ZAFT Corporation, the man whom their old schoolmates and officemates always found 'cool' because he seemed so casual about everything, just freaking blushed.

That's right, he blushed.

Yzak and Dearka's eyes almost popped out of their veins when they saw their friend for how many years, get red at Yzak's remarks.

Damn he was blushing because of Cagalli.

The dude's been hit, hard.

Athrun, to avoid further embarrassment because he could hear his two friends already snickering, walked briskly past the two of them. "Le-let's eat at that newly Ja-japanese restaurant at the third floor, a lady gave me a flier a while ago." He was on the escalator on the way to the third floor before they knew it.

"So, blushing…" Yzak's voice trailed off, because he couldn't help but laugh out loud when Athrun was out of sight.

"… is something that even Athrun Zala does." Dearka continued for him, before bursting out in laughter as well.

-o0o-

The dusk didn't even start to settle in, and there Athrun Zala was, driving his way home already. He knew that he still had work to do in the office, but he really needed to get out of there. After that awkward occurrence at the mall, he couldn't take it when Yzak and Dearka walked to his office just to give him smug smiles. It was tormenting him that they know something that he didn't even want them to know about.

He wanted to smack the two of them whenever they did that, but he feared that they might tell the employees about what happened a while ago. That was worse. But as of the moment, he felt that every laugh that his employees made was directed to him. It was as if everyone's eyes were on him. But not because he was the President of the Company, but because of what happened a while ago. Yes, he was becoming paranoid. His pride and dignity was at stake if ever Dearka and Yzak told their employees the change in his 'true colors'.

So when he heard his new secretary giggling when she came from Dearka office, he slammed his laptop shut and stormed out of the office without even telling his secretary where he was going. He didn't care if his laptop were to break because of what he did; he could buy a new one anyway.

It was a discomforting situation indeed. He wondered if he could even walk around his office with head held up high like he used to.

He was back to his place before he knew it. Thank goodness, he could rest now. Maybe this whole uneasy office feeling would be gone by tomorrow.

"Athrun, you're back so soon?" Cagalli opened the door, with shock evident in her expression.

"Yeah." His lips curved into a thin smile. "For some odd reason, I just wanted to get some rest." He told her a lie of course. In fact, he wasn't feeling tired at all. He would've finished all of the work that was due if weren't for Dearka and Yzak tormenting snickers at the office.

"Oh I see." Cagalli nodded, she knew that Athrun always pushed himself too hard when it comes to their company. So she knew she very well deserved to take a break at times. "Have you eaten yet? I can prepare something for you."

"I'm not yet hungry." He assured her as he dropped his things near the couch. "Is Robert asleep?"

"Nope, not yet." She went to the kitchen to get Robert a bottle of milk. "But I think her will be after I feed him."

Athrun sat down the chair that was near the crib and stared at Robert, who was busy raising his hands up in the air.

He got hold of his hands and squeezed it gently. Baby Robert was just too cute. Why wasn't he spending enough time with him?

"Here you go!" Cagalli was back from the kitchen and handed him the bottle. "You feed him!"

"Okay. Thanks." He got the bottle from her and stuck out the nipple near Robert's lips. Upon feeling the rubber material of the bottle, Robert put the bottle on his mouth and started to suck the milk on the bottle.

Cagalli sat on the edge of the bed, watching Athrun while he fed Robert. Feeling restricted because Robert was in the crib, he gently carried him in his arms while he swayed back and forth. She couldn't help but mutter an 'awww' to herself. She felt like she was watching this dramatic movie about a father and a son. This was better because it was a live one.

Pretty soon, Robert was fast asleep.

"That was fast." Cagalli said and while Athrun gently placed Robert back in his crib. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Of course I do!" Athrun gave her a playful wink. "It's not just you who's been doing all the practicing you know.

"I'm just kidding. I always knew you would be a good father." Cagalli looked him in the eye and gave him a warm smile.

"You did?" His ears were unable to process if he had heard her correctly.

She nodded gently.

"Thank you." He felt so flattered that he was being a good father to their baby. At first, he thought that he would be the exact opposite, because he never had a younger sibling to practice it with. Plus the fact that he never liked kids. He found it so annoying whenever they would cry and beg for their parents' attention.

Robert was entirely different. He found it cute whenever he cried. No, he was not a sadist. But the expression on his face was just so cute that he found himself in awe. He never was the type of person who liked cute things.

"Isn't he such a cute thing even while he's asleep?" Cagalli asked him as they both observed their baby snoring lightly.

"Of course he is."

"You know…" Athrun started a different topic. "We should go out somewhere, just the three of us."

"Where do we go?"

"It doesn't matter where we'll go." Athrun averted his gaze to Cagalli. "As long as you two are there, I'm fine with any place."

Cagalli felt her heart skip a beat yet again with those words. But instead of trying to escape the situation by running away or talking about something else, she also locked her eyes to him and courageously said, "Me too." She didn't know why she said that, maybe it was because of the comfortable atmosphere or that was what was exactly on her mind for the past few days.

"Really?" His hand made its way to her cheeks yet again and stayed there for a very long while.

She nodded again.

She felt his head nearing hers now. She froze. _Oh my gosh! He's gonna…._ She couldn't help but scream madly to herself. This was what she was being all lunatic about the past few days, and she couldn't believe that it was happening right now.

He couldn't believe himself that he was doing it, he was trying to kiss her. He wanted to ask for her permission first but it seemed like she already gave her assent by closing her eyes.

Then there was no turning back now I guess. Athrun wanted to kiss her for a long time now, but always tried to restrain himself because he thought that he would be violating her yet again.

Then again he was feeling nervous now. He didn't know why, he just was. But it was so weird, considering that he had kissed Cagalli before. Heck, the kiss started everything!

Maybe what was so different was that before, he just kissed her because he was so turned on that night. Now, his feeling was different. He wasn't just after getting her to bed now. He was after in getting her to bed with him forever.

He also closed his eyes as his lips were only millimeters away from hers.

For Cagalli, it took him forever before his lips finally touched hers.

It was everything that she had expected the kiss to be. Maybe even more. It felt so warm, gentle and she felt a bit of longing in Athrun's lips. It wasn't hasty like the times she and Shinn used to kiss. She remembered that he always tried to eat her mouth, which wasn't really nice to feel. But it wasn't also like the time that she and Athrun first met. This kiss was really different; it had a very different substance to it.

She didn't know why she couldn't even ask him to give her a kiss for the past few weeks. For whatever embarrassment that it would cause her, it would all be worth it. His other hand touched her other cheek, so this wasn't a dream or a fantasy.

They paused a lot of times to capture their breaths but immediately went back to locking their lips with one another.

For a matter of seconds they were already on the edge of the bed. After a few more seconds Cagalli was lying down the bed with Athrun on top of her, while his lips never parting hers.

They would have continued what they were doing all night, if Athrun didn't have a series of flashbacks. There was a cacophony of Cagalli's voices that run through his head.

"_I'm pregnant..."_

"_I really don't know what to do from here."_

"_I don't want Kira to hate me."_

"_Will everything be alright?"_

"_Dying is scary."_

"_Help me, it hurts."_

"_I don't want to do this. Not anymore."_

A wave of panic struck him and he immediately tore away from Cagalli, even though he didn't want to. He stood up and dashed out of the room, muttering an inaudible, 'Sorry I can't do this.'

Cagalli who was still in a daze, blinked a few times and realized that Athrun already left her, she really couldn't process what just happened.

Did Athrun not want her too?

-o0o-

He was back in his car before he knew it, driving without knowing where he wanted to go.

He didn't want to do that to Cagalli, not anymore.

And it wasn't because he didn't want to, of course he did. It was just that, he couldn't make her go through all that hardship again. He couldn't bear it.

Now that he already knew that he loved her.

-o0o-

End of Chapter 31! Sorry if writing skills aren't as good as they were before. I became a little rusty with all the studying for subjects and blah blah. :P And I realized it just now, I'm having difficulty writing when it comes to the lovey-dovey parts…

The usual drill! Review if you feel like it! ;) I really really really appreciate your feedback or your assessment on which part of writing I can improve on. :)

Additional Notes:

[1] Robert – the name of my eldest brother! Hihi. Sorry if the name is just so random. :P I told you that I named him with the first boy name that popped out of my head.

[2] Peter Pan. :D


	32. Off to a trip!

A/N: Yo, since classes have been suspended for three straight days, I have time to update my fic!

Btw, I can't help but notice that some of the reviewers said that my writing changed. Did it change in a good way? Or in a bad way? (I hope not)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Chapter 32: Off to a trip!

-o0o-

"Who's the little cutie patootie?" It was a really funny sight; Miriallia's lips were formed into a pout gently tickling Robert. She was also distorting her face once in a while. "You're such the cutie, you know that? Of course you know that already, cutie cutie pie you."

Cagalli and Shiho were staring at her like she was this alien that came from an unknown planet. This was their best friend? Who knew that Miriallia would be like that with babies? Both of them remembered that Miriallia told the two of them years ago that she didn't want to have babies because they annoyed her a lot. Heck she even told them that she didn't even find babies cute or angelic. There she was, eating her words as every second passed.

The two of them might have been okay with Miriallia doing all that faces… if they weren't eating in a public place! People were giving them weird stares so much that they wanted to disown Miriallia already. If anyone asked them, they would immediately deny that they know her and pretend that she just sat there to play with Robert.

And because of the annoying mushy sounds, Shiho couldn't even concentrate on eating. "Miriallia, will please stop doing that? You're starting to look like an idiot."

"What?" Miriallia's normal expression returned. "But don't you see how Robert is so entertain by me doing these kinds of faces?" And she started doing it again.

"Entertained?" Cagalli raised her eyebrow. "More like disgusted. Look he decided to sleep and ignore you." She tucked Robert comfortably to sleep.

"Aww." Miriallia gave a disappointed sigh and averted her attention to her food that was untouched for a few minutes now. "Fine, I'll go and play with him the moment he wakes up."

"This is new. I thought you said you don't like babies." Shiho pointed out.

"I know I said that in the past, but it's different now! Women can change their minds you know."

"Then what made you change your mind then?" Cagalli asked her.

"Your little cutie patootie!" She pointed to the innocent sleeping figure. "Can I adopt him?"

"Absolutely not." Cagalli gave her a threatening stare. Just what kind of request was that? "Go and have your own baby."

"Yeah go and tell Dearka that you want to have a baby of your own." Shiho suggested. "Who knows, maybe you'll be like Cagalli, getting pregnant the first time they did it…" Her voice started to trail off because she noticed that Cagalli's glares were now in her direction. She swallowed her food nervously; maybe Cagalli didn't take that joke lightly. Yikes.

"But… but… but… I don't know if our baby will end up as cute as this little angle!" Miriallia focused her attention on the sleeping Robert yet again, which caused Cagalli and Shiho's mouth to drop wide open. Miriallia was really serious on having a baby? Seriously?

"I know, my baby's too cute for words." Cagalli nodded. It was such an honorable moment for her that Miriallia thought that her baby was super cute and that she wanted to adopt him.

"He is!"

"You're joking right?" Shiho asked her, just to be sure.

"No." Miriallia shook her head to emphasize her answer more. "What made you think that?"

"So Cagalli…" Shiho decided to change the topic. "How are you and Athrun doing nowadays?"

"Uhm… We aren't talking."

At that moment, when she didn't follow what she said with a grin and a 'just kidding', Shiho seriously wanted to spit out the water that she was drinking, but refrained herself from doing so, which resulted her to cough uncontrollably for a few seconds. Today, her two best friends were being too brutally honest for her. "Cagalli, please tell me you're joking."

"I'm not." Cagalli shook her head with a sad smile. "We really aren't talking for days now."

"Why? What happened?" Miriallia asked with concern evident in her voice. "Did you two have a fight or something?"

"Some thing." The very dejected look that overcame Cagalli's face convinced Shiho that she wasn't kidding. No wonder she was unusually quiet today, she kept staring into space while the three of them talked with each other.

"Then what's that 'some thing' you're talking about?" They asked her.

"Well the other day, we kissed." She replied, hoping not to elaborate more. Miriallia and Shiho were already inwardly celebrating when they heard that, but they kept it inside and waited for her to continue.

The two of her best friends looked at her oddly. "So?" They were waiting for the climax of the story.

"That's it." Cagalli shrugged her shoulders, indicating that it was the end of her story. "We kissed."

"Huh?" Shiho couldn't help but to react violently. "How is that connected to not talking to each other for days?" Well, it really didn't make sense in her mind. Weren't they supposed to be closer now that they were taking it to the next level?

Miriallia also wanted to have a clear explanation of what happened. "I don't really understand too, then why aren't you talking?"

Cagalli sighed. "Well when we were kissing, he suddenly parts away from me then storms out of the room and never spoke to me again when he got back, unless it was about Robert."

The two of them weren't even able to talk after that. They couldn't really comprehend will in the heat of their kiss; Athrun goes and walks out on her. How weird was that? What was happening?

"I knew it." Cagalli took a deep breath.

"Knew what?" Miriallia asked her.

"I knew it, Athrun doesn't even like me." Cagalli covered her face with her hair from utter embarrassment. "What was I even thinking? Maybe he got grossed out or whatever."

"_He doesn't like you? How the hell did you think of that when he's obviously so into you?"_

"_Unbelievable."_ Miriallia wanted to face palm herself. _"Cagalli, that's pretty naïve of you."_

"Yo-you think what?" Shiho retorted in disbelief. She was losing it. _"THESE TWO ARE TOO FREAKING CLUELESS TO EVEN REALIZE THAT THEY BOTH HAVE FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER! ARGH, REALLY, TOO CLUELESS FOR WORDS!"_ Before she could even yell out something that was rude, she took calm intakes of breath. _"Calm down Shiho. Calm down."_

"I don't think that's the case you know." Those were the words that calmly came out of her mouth instead of what she really wanted to say.

"What do you mean by that?" Cagalli asked her with a 'how-is-that-even-possible' expression.

"Well," Shiho wanted to say implicitly that they both have feelings for each other so she carefully picked the words out. "Maybe Athrun didn't want to take advantage of the situation?"

"Yeah!" Miriallia agreed. "Maybe he didn't want you to think that he was a pervert or something if he started kissing you?" They both found it hard to explain to Cagalli without saying it in a straightforward manner.

"Uh-huh?" Cagalli didn't really understand what the two of them were trying to say, but just nodded anyway. "So he didn't kiss me because it would be too ungentlemanly of him? Are we on the same boat?"

"Yes, you're right! That was exactly what we wanted to say!" Shiho replied. Miriallia and Shiho looked at each other and lit up, at last Cagalli understood what they wanted to convey to her.

"So, it's true that he doesn't even like me." Cagalli had a very sad expression as she ate her food. "Of course he was a gentleman enough to not kiss someone that he doesn't even like."

Both of them sighed. It looks like they need some help from the goddess of fixing relationships, Lacus Clyne.

"Oh by the way Cagalli," Miriallia decided to change the topic. She just wasn't in the mood to be all depressed and sullen right now. "Aren't you wondering why Shiho's still here?"

"What do you mean by that?" Shiho frowned. It seemed like Miriallia wanted her to go back to Victoria already.

"Yeah. That's reminds me." Cagalli shifted their topic on the more interesting one. She didn't want to bring Shiho and Miriallia's happy mood down with hers. "How come you extended your stay here at Orb?"

"Oh fine. I guess you two don't want me here anymore." Shiho pretended to look offended at the reaction of both her friends. They should be rejoicing that she was staying longer. "Fine then, if that's the way you want it, I'll get a plane ticket that will get my ass out of Orb by tomorrow!"

"Oh come on Shiho Hahnenfuss…" Miriallia rolled her eyes and gave Shiho a gentle pinch on the cheek. "Even if you act all hurt and offended, I know you won't leave for Victoria just yet." Miriallia was teasing her while giving her the knowing look all the while.

"What?" Cagalli's eyes lit up. These two were keeping a secret, and she wanted to know what it was. "What is it? Tell me!"

"Oh let Shiho here tell you why." Miriallia drew Shiho near the two of them. And when Cagalli actually took a look at Shiho's face, she was looking away, and her face had a light tint of red.

"What exactly happened to you?" Cagalli was becoming more curious at the second. "Tell me!"

Even though she was shaking Shiho like crazy, she still refused to open her mouth and continued to look away.

"I'll tell you since Shiho so embarrassed to say it!" Miriallia decided. "Shiho didn't leave yet because someone asked her to stay longer." She was laughing in a mocking manner that Shiho couldn't really take it anymore.

"Who did?" Cagalli asked. She really had no idea. Shiho hasn't been on any dates… Well, that is if she was keeping this a secret from her that she was seeing somebody already.

"Oh you know…" Miriallia kept saying in a tone that made Shiho want the ground to eat her alive. "Some hot-headed guy that works with Athrun she always likes to refer to as Lady Gaga."

"Ooooh! You mean Yzak!" Cagalli smirked at her. "I didn't know that you're getting along with Yzak this well!"

"Yeah." Miriallia nodded. "Who knew that these two enemies would become future lovers…"

"Whatever! We are so not." She bolted up her chair and walked away. "I'm going to the washroom." Cagalli and Miriallia both could see from their seat that Shiho was already crimson red.

"Well I'm happy for them." Cagalli smiled half-heartedly. But deep down, she was a bit envious that everything with her friends was working out, while with hers, everything was so obscure.

-o0o-

Not talking with each other? Surely that was an overstatement.

She heard from Miriallia that they were acting awkward with each other because of the kiss from a few days ago.

Kissing each other was normal right? Especially if you two harbor feelings for each other.

She didn't know that it was this bad already.

When she went to Athrun's place for a surprise visit, the two of them were like strangers living under the same roof.

When she arrived, she only Cagalli was there to welcome her. Cagalli started to tell her all about what happened to the two of them for the past few days, the kiss, the walkout and the awkward moments. At first, Lacus didn't want to believe it, but when Athrun arrived, that was when she realized that Cagalli was really telling the truth.

"I'm back." Athrun said in a very audible voice. Lacus thought that maybe Athrun was just tired from work.

"Welcome back Athrun" Cagalli's tone wasn't even a cheerful one; it was like she was so shy to talk to Athrun.

"Lacus is here."

"Oh hi there Lacus." Athrun also answered in a way that was very similar to Cagalli's voice.

"Did you eat dinner already?"

"Yeah, I ate already."

Then silence consumed them after that.

They really didn't talk with each other, well except for the 'welcome back' and 'did you eat dinner' line. But they were just like two robots programmed to say that to each other now. The last time that Lacus visited them, they were so lovey-dovey talking about whatever topic that came up. Now, it was like she was hearing that awkward cricket sound during this situation. She wouldn't be surprised if ever she were to hear one. If it weren't for Robert crying and making baby noises, there would be no other sound. Heck, they weren't even looking at each other.

The only time that they interacted with each other, and not taking into consideration the rehearsed 'did you eat dinner' line, was when it was something about Robert. And that's not right.

And Athrun typically teased Cagalli by hugging her or just by draping his arms around her shoulders or around her waist, but now it seemed like he didn't even want to touch her.

Why is this happening? Aren't they supposed to be much closer now that they really are both into each other?

"So, how are you two doing with Robert nowadays?" Lacus asked the both of them; maybe they'll start conversing with each other like they normally do.

"We're fine." They both answered her at the same time. Lacus smirked to herself, they were thinking of the same thing. How cute!

But as soon as both of them realized that, they blushed and looked farther away from each other.

Blushing? Looking away?

She didn't expect that reaction from the both of them. They were like high school students that were so shy around each other.

It would have been really cute… if they were 16! But for crying out loud, they were way past high school already, they were past mid-twenties now. Puppy love doesn't apply to the two of them anymore.

This was very absurd. Why were they acting like this? The two of them should have realized that they the feelings that they had for each other was mutual.

And this kind of tension around the two of them was killing her already. If Kira were here with her to visit, then maybe she figured that it wouldn't be such an uncomfortable mood because Kira would definitely be so talkative. And maybe Athrun would start to make some witty lines to combat Kira. Why was he still at work?

If they were to stay here all the time, then maybe nothing would change, especially this dreaded awkward atmosphere. So Lacus started to think of something that would change their situation. A few moments later, she already thought of the perfect idea.

"Let's go on an outing!" Lacus suggested, inwardly crossing her fingers that her plan would work. She remembered her friend invited her along with Kira to visit his new resort. And he specifically told her to bring other friends along. So this might be the chance to fix Cagalli and Athrun's relationship.

"An outing?" Cagalli raised her eyebrow at the randomness of Lacus' suggestion. "To where?"

"When?" Athrun asked her as well.

"This weekend!" Lacus looked at the both of them with persuasion in her eyes. They should come with her; there was no way that that she would go to the resort without Athrun and Cagalli coming with her and Kira.

"I don't think I can come." Athrun immediately said to Lacus. "I'll be preoccupied with work during the weekend. But I'm sure Cagalli and Robert can still come along with you."

Lacus saw the sudden change of expression in Cagalli's face when she heard that Athrun wasn't coming along with them. At first her face was kind of enthusiastic when she heard that they were going to an outing, but the moment that Athrun said he couldn't come, she looked really upset but tried not to show it. But of course Lacus already saw right through her.

"But our outing is during the weekend!" Lacus pointed out. "How can you be so busy with work at that time?"

"Well because I have appointments with our new clients during the weekend." He answered. It was true, and he was annoyed that he had to meet up with them on his free day, but it couldn't be helped.

"Oh I see…" Lacus sighed. "Then I guess it couldn't be helped right?" She walked over to Robert, who was wide awake now. "Poor Robert, you have such a busy daddy. Now we're going to an outing without him. Too bad we're going to have so much fun without your daddy."

Then she turned to Athrun. "Kira and I will be here to pick Cagalli and Baby Robby early Saturday morning. We'll be back by Monday evening, I think?"

"By Monday evening?" Athrun gaped at how long it would be until he would see Cagalli and Robert. "Why so late?"

"Well because it's a holiday this incoming Monday remember?" Lacus reminded him, she was right; it was 'Uzumi Nara Athha Day'. [1]

"Oh yeah…" Athrun completely forgot that it was a non-working holiday so the office would be closed.

"Have fun at work!" Lacus smiled at Athrun. "We'll take pictures during the outing and post it online so you'll get to see it immediately."

Cagalli didn't know if Lacus was really admitting her defeat or whether she was just doing her 'reverse psychology' thing on Athrun. She always did that to Kira and her, and it always would work.

She looked over to Athrun's direction and she noticed that there was utter confusion written all over Athrun's face. She was right, so Lacus was really using reverse psychology on him.

Now he was really torn.

He wanted to go with them to the outing, but he really couldn't do that.

Of course he couldn't afford to not meet with the potential clients. They'll be doing the contract-signing, the vital stage. It was very important because they were a big company and he knew how much their revenues will boost if these clients bought their fragrances and used them for their products.

But then again it was a weekend; he wasn't supposed to be doing office work during the weekends. He hated it when he had something work-related to do during the weekends, he wanted to relax and clear his mind from everything that he would come back to when Monday came.

His father always told him, when he was just starting to run their company, that you always should adjust your time when it comes to your clients and customers, because if you do that, their loyalty to your company will undoubtedly increase and the sales that you make also increases after that.

Who in the right mind makes appointments during weekends?

Besides, he really wanted to go to the outing with Cagalli and Robert. He remembered that he told Cagalli that they should go on one, and finally the opportunity is here, but he's blowing it.

When he saw Robert for the first time, he promised that he would be the type of father that put him as the first priority, work would just come second. He didn't want to be like the ones that he sometimes watched on television, the father was always so preoccupied with work or another issue that sometimes his relationship with his children drifts apart to the point that the children have difficulty opening up to them.

He didn't want that.

What was he doing now?

He was doing the exact opposite.

He pulled out his phone out of his pocket and started to dial his secretary. Lacus and Cagalli exchanged looks with each other. The pink-haired psychologist winked at her, looks like everything was going according to what she planned.

"Hello Natarle." Athrun spoke to the person in the other line. "I know will sound so rash and that I didn't think it through, but I did. I want you to cancel the appointments that I have this weekend."

He paused for a moment; Lacus probably figured that his secretary was freaking out by the sudden rescheduling.

"I have something more important to do." Athrun explained. "No wait, actually don't reschedule the appointment."

Cagalli and Lacus' mouths dropped wide open. He easily decided that he was going to cancel the appointment, and it was so easy for him to decide that he wasn't going to postpone it.

"I'll just send a proxy." He said to her. Both the girls in the room sighed in relief, so much for assuming that he changed his mind about coming. "Maybe you can be the proxy."

Athrun looked at both of them and gave them a 'thumbs up' before going back to his secretary on the phone. "You can handle that. Just brief them everything they need to know, and they sign the contract. Alright? Bye."

"Yaaay! Athrun's coming as well!" Lacus clapped her hands in glee. "So are you going to bring your car or will you ride with me and Kira?"

"I think I'll bring my own car."

But then she thought about it, if he were to bring his own car, the two of them would act so awkward yet again. If Kira's the only one that brings the car, they'll have no choice but to sit beside each other in the back seat.

"No wait, I think it's better if we only bring one car." Lacus told both of them. "You know, to save money on gasoline!"

When the two of them didn't argue, Lacus was really sure that her plan would definitely work.

Operation make-Athrun-and-Cagalli-realize-their-feelings-for-each-other commence!

She undeniably needed a video camera for this.

-o0o-

"We're here!" Lacus got down from Kira's car and inhaled the fresh air. It was good to be away from the city once in a while and enjoy the beauty of nature, the beach in particular.

"It's really beautiful here Lacus!" Kira draped his arm around her shoulders and did the same. The water from the sea was sparkling clear. Their feet felt the soft and white sand under their feet. That five-hour drive was worth it.

"I told you!" Lacus smiled at him.

"Hey by the way," Kira started to speak after a few moments of taking in the beautiful view in front of them. "Did I miss something?"

"What do you mean by that?" Lacus asked her boyfriend.

"I mean, did Cagalli and Mister Number One fight? Why aren't they speaking with each other that much?" He pointed to the two of them. Cagalli held Robert and his stroller and was looking at the sight, but Athrun was way behind her.

"Hmm... Not really." Lacus answered him. Kira wasn't that dense to not notice it. How could he not? Even in the car ride, the two of them spoke to each other minimally. And she thought that they would be all clingy with each other, but no.

"Lacus, you're here!" His friend called out to her.

Cagalli took a good look at her friend. With his moss-green hair and hazel eyes, he really looked like that young famous musician.

"Nicol! Hi there! Long time no see!" Lacus immediately went to give her long-time friend a hug. "I missed you."

Nicol? That rung a bell for Cagalli.

"I've missed you too!" He said while he returned her hug. "I haven't seen you for the past few years, but you're still pretty as ever."

"Aww thank you." Lacus let go of the hug. "By the way, this is my boyfriend, Kira Hibiki."

"Nice to meet you Kira." Nicol offered his hand for him to shake.

"Likewise." Kira shook his hand. "Nice place you have here."

"Thanks!" Then he whispered to Lacus. "Nice boyfriend."

"This is his sister, Cagalli Hibiki, Athrun Zala and their baby."

"Hi there Cagalli and Robby!" Nicol gave Cagalli a light hug and caressed Robert's face. He then held out his hand to Athrun. "Hello Athrun."

"Hi Nicol, nice to finally meet the genius pianist!"

Snap!

"Wait!" Cagalli called out to him. "You're that Nicol? Nicol Amalfi? The pianist that played 'Namida no Theme'?" That was why she thought that she had met him when she first saw him. She really knew him!

"Oh." He let out an embarrassed laugh while scratching his head. To Cagalli, he was really being humble about it. "Yeah that would be me!"

"I really love that piece!" Cagalli said enthusiastically. "I have that on my iPod!"

"Really?" He blushed when he heard that. "I'm very flattered!"

"It seems like my sister's an avid fan of yours!" Kira chimed in and the group started to laugh.

Even though he was laughing with them, Athrun couldn't help but feel a little tinge of jealousy. Cagalli just met Nicol and now she was acting so comfortable around him.

"Do you want me to give you CDs of my other pieces?" Nicol offered.

"Do you really mean that?" Cagalli's eyes sparkled. She was like a child that was being offered a piece of candy.

"Of course I do!"

"Yay thank you!"

There it was again. He couldn't help but be annoyed at Nicol now.

Well to put it mildly, maybe he was just jealous because Nicol gets to talk to her comfortably while he can't.

-o0o-

Afternoon came.

Nothing.

Evening came.

Still nothing.

Morning came.

Still nothing.

Lacus was getting really frustrated. Only one more day before they leave Nicol's beautiful resort but Cagalli and Athrun's awkward interaction with each other still remained the same.

She set them up to share the same bedroom, hoping that by doing that they already got to talk with each other properly and returned to their normal, cute and lovey dovey selves, but no, that didn't happen.

Cagalli was talking more with Nicol, rather than with Athrun. This was not supposed be what was happening.

And if she doesn't help them fix it now, who knows, they may always be like this. Poor baby Robby.

"Hey there." Lacus went inside their room, and found out that only Cagalli and Robert were there.

"Oh hey Lacus!" Cagalli greeted her.

"Where's Athrun?"

"I don't really know. He just left the room a while ago; I didn't really ask where he went."

"You know, you should talk to him." Lacus told her. "Me, Shiho and Miriallia miss the AsuCaga couple we once knew."

"AsuCaga?" Cagalli repeated after her. "What the hell is that?"

"Oh you know, that was one of the names Miriallia and Shiho thought of when they were thinking for a name for Robby. And since you and Athrun didn't want that, then we decided to name your pair 'AsuCaga'." Lacus answered. And when Cagalli still gave her a weird look, she continued. "It's 'Asu' because Athrun's name in Japanese is pronounced as 'Asuran' so when combined its AsuCaga. And besides, doesn't 'AsuCaga' sound better than 'AthCaga'?"

Cagalli had on a dejected look on her face, Lacus caressed her back and told her. "Maybe who should go and take a walk outside."

"A walk?"

"Yup." She nodded. "Relax your mind! Don't worry I'll watch sleeping baby Robby for you."

When Cagalli was a bit hesitant, Lacus pulled her up of her seat and gave her a gentle shove to the door. "You should go and enjoy the sights here!"

"Okay then." She trudged her way out of he resort house with heavy steps. She didn't want to go outside. But maybe she needed to, so she could cheer up a little. Not being able to talk to Athrun made her sad these past few days.

It was a good thing that she agreed to go out and relax herself. Being inside the room all day was driving her insane. Not because she was watching over Robert, of course she loved doing that. But the fact that she wasn't near Athrun and he wasn't talking to her for the past few days was making her feel restless.

She sat down the sand and sighed. She found it always uneasy to be with Athrun now.

How did everything become so awkward?

What was she going to do?

Her dreadful expression did not go unnoticed for a concerned fellow.

He slowly approached her, thinking of the right words to say to her.

-o0o-

Done! I'm so excited to write the next chapter! :)

Please give me feedback! Hihi.

Additional Notes:

[1] The holiday that popped out of my head.


	33. Finally

A/N: Hey guys, so uhhh. #awkwardmoment I'm so sorry for the very, very, very late update. Yeah, it was school. :)) I blame school. This semester was beyond stressful I can't even... -) I always attempted to try and update, but to no avail. Well anyway, since it's my sembreak, I may update this fic faster, I might finish this fic by the end of the break too! Well, hopefully! :D

And yes, since I haven't written for a very long time. I might be rusty/not write this well. So sorry in advance!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 33: Finally

-o0o-

The beach was actually really nice. Why didn't she walk around yesterday? Now she only had the afternoon to savor the beautiful place around her.

Cagalli closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and buried her feet in the sand. The smell of salt water calmed her down a bit. The cold grains of sand that she felt sticking on her feet as she hid her feet further, made her comfortable enough to sit there and just contemplate about things.

About Athrun, mostly.

Her eyes fixated on the calm sea that shimmered beautifully under the rays of the sun as a seagull flew over it. There were waves from the sea that gently made its way to the shore, leaving the starfish that was on the coastline very much undisturbed. What a very nice sight to behold. The clear sea that she saw right in front of her very much reminded her of the days when she and her family always went to when she was younger.

Oh those days that she wanted to relive.

When she agreed to go here, she initially thought that she would have fun as well. She would be swimming at the beach with Kira, Lacus and Athrun. Trying to make the baby swim as well, maybe? They would built sand castles, have barbeques during nighttime and But how would she have fun now? When Athrun wasn't even talking to her.

She thought that after a few days after that make-out incident, Athrun would be back to his perverted and always joking state. Heck she thought that they would be more intimate with each other maybe? But no, instead, as the days went by, it became worse. Athrun only talked to her, whenever Robert was hungry, crying or needed a diaper change.

Her feet made random shapes in the sand as she still stared to the horizon. She then turned her attention to her palms as it grabbed a handful of sand and watch it fall in between the gaps of her fingers. She didn't really know what she was doing with the sand, but in any case, it was quite similar to what she was feeling now, on what to do in the situation and it was really making her uneasy.

Does this mean that she and Athrun would always be like this now? Treating each other like they were strangers? Heck they only talked to each other when it was about Robert. She wanted to talk to him more, like they always used to before everything got so uncomfortable. She wanted him to joke around with her and chat with him about everything, like they always used to.

This really was making her very depressed, how long would this continue on?

"Hey." She felt someone tap her shoulder and it sent chills to her spine.

What the hell was that?

"Eeep!" Her body suddenly straightened up as she was surprised by the sudden contact of some unknown finger. She wasn't expecting anyone to even be there so when she was taken aback by the tap on her shoulder, she accidentally flailed some of the grain of sand to the person behind her.

She turned around and saw who it was; it was Lacus' friend, Nicol Amalfi.

"Ahhh!"

And it looked like she unintentionally threw sand in his eyes.

Whoopsie.

"Ahh!" Nicol covered his eyes when some little bits of sand got into his eye. He then realized that it was a bad idea creeping up to Cagalli, rather than just saying hi to her when he was still far from her.

He badly wanted to roll in the sand dozens of times until his eyes would stop hurting because it damn hurt! But then again it would have been embarrassing for his guest to look at, although he was tempted to already do it. He tried to remain calm and composed and covered his eyes with his palms instead. Oh how he wanted to roll in the sand and cringe in pain like an idiot.

Her eyes opened wide at the sight of what she did. She panicked as she saw the owner of the resort writhing in pain. Why oh why did she have to toss sand right into his face? But why did he suddenly surprise her anyway? "Wait, uhm, I'm really sorry about that! Are you alright?" Cagalli immediately stood up from her place and tried to look at Nicol's face, but it was covered with both his hands.

Of course he wasn't, Cagalli knew that. He had freaking grains of sand in his eyes.

Oh no, was he going to throw her out of his resort because she accidentally hurt him?

Maybe he would?

No he wouldn't do that.

"Hey, are you okay?" Cagalli tried to catch his attention, but he was still preoccupied with dealing with the pain in his eyes.

When he wasn't responding, Cagalli decided it was best that she call Lacus, but Nicol's voice stopped her.

"Yeah I'm fine." Nicol assured her but he still didn't remove his palms from his face because his eyes still hurt from all the sand in his eyes. He didn't even know how many there were anymore. He couldn't even open his eyes because every time he opened it, he felt like there were swords that were trying to poke his eyes out.

"I'm really sorry!" Cagalli was really panicking, at the same time she didn't know what to do. "I didn't mean to throw all those sand in your eyes! It was an accident because you surprised me!"

"Yeah, don't worry about it. This will get better in no time." Nicol chuckled as he kept his eyes closed; tears were already streaming down his face. And he couldn't really help it, but at least it made his eyes feel better when he let out tears. "It was my fault for sneaking to you anyway."

"Well, do you want me to get you an 'eye-mo'[1] inside?" Cagalli was already standing up, but Nicol stopped him from dashing back to the house.

"No it's okay." He tried to open his eyes for Cagalli to see. "Look, I can still open then." True enough, it wasn't that bad at all. Well bad, in this case was when his eyes would pop out from the pain or bleed continuously, there was none of that but then Nicol's eyes were too red. The sand that she must've accidentally flung to his face was that much because his eyes looked like they were having sore eyes.

"Are you sure?" Cagalli asked him again. "I'll be back in no time."

"Yes I'm sure! So just sit right back down." Nicol nodded. "I wanted to talk to you about something actually."

"About what?" Cagalli looked bewildered as she sat down.

"About you and Athrun." He said to her. "As the host of your stay here, I want to make your stay here comfortable as possible. If I'm not prying or anything, I want to ask if you two got into a fight."

"Oh… Uh… We didn't really fight." She sat down, feeling miserable with her situation yet again.

"Also since you're Lacus' good friend, I want to help her too. I've noticed that she's always trying to bring you two closer together yesterday, but no avail. So I wanted to help out." Nicol said to her.

Cagalli sighed before talking about the issue. "Yeah, actually she is trying to set us up so that we can talk to each other. But the thing is, everything got awkward."

"Oh, so you two didn't have some fight or misunderstanding?"

"Hmm…" Cagalli thought for a moment before responding. "No, nothing of the sort, really. It's just that there was this incident that made us stop talking to each other."

"And that is?" Nicol opened his eyes now. It wasn't as painful as it was a few moments ago, but at least he could open it and look at the person he was talking with. He mentally noted to never surprise anyone reflecting in the sand ever again.

When Cagalli let out another deep sigh and looked as if the world was against her, Nicol finally decided that it wasn't for him to find out.

"I hope you two get to talk it out." Nicol gave her a reassuring smile. "It would be a shame if you two continue to give each other the silent treatment!"

"Yeah it would be." Cagalli dejectedly replied, reminiscing all those times when she could always be herself when she was with him.

"So," Nicol thought that it was best that he change their topic of discourse. "How are you finding it here?"

"The place is pretty nice actually." Cagalli told him. "I wish we could stay a bit longer because I really didn't have the time to look around and do fun things. I remember Lacus telling me that you would go surfing, boat-riding and snorkeling right?"

"Yep! We do that almost every single time Lacus visits here!" He nodded. "Well you can visit me here anytime, I wouldn't mind! We also walk around here, so it's kind of like we're an adventurer on some unknown island."

"That's nice!" Cagalli laughed for the first time in the day. "Makes you feel like you're Indiana Jones[2] or something."

"Yeah exactly! We sometimes explore the caves here on the island!" He added.

"There are caves here as well?" Cagalli was surprised; she didn't know that there was more to this island.

"There is! There was a time, I remember, when me and Lacus had to dash out of one cave before." He chuckled at the fond memory.

"Why is that?" Cagalli asked him.

"I think we were a bit noisy at that time so we kind of woke the bats and they charged towards us… Or so me and Lacus thought. And so…"

"Then you two ran for your lives?" Cagalli continued for him and was already containing herself from laughing at her friend and at the person who she accidentally tossed a grain of sand in his eyes.

"Yeah..." The volume of Nicol's voice lowered because he found it too embarrassing to tell, but decided to tell her anyway. "I think because of that I ran for my life, forgetting that Lacus was even there with me, I even lost a shoe or left it behind because of utter panic. And she did the same too, but she was screaming at the top of her lungs all the while."

"Lacus did that? Really?" Cagalli laughed at the thought of Lacus running for her life as soon as bats started chasing her. She couldn't even imagine Lacus screaming for her life and without her always-fine-demeanor.

"It's surprising right?" Nicol laughed with her as well. "Who would have thought that the princess-like Lacus, would lose it because of bats?"

"Well you got to admit, those were bats." Cagalli tried to defend Lacus. "I think I would have lost my sanity too if a swarm of bats decided to chase me as well."

"True." He nodded in defeat. "I wanted to scream as well."

"I bet you shrieked as well, but you're too mortified to tell me about it." Cagalli gave him a knowing look.

"I did not!" Nicol blushed defensively. "Well, yeah you got me, I did scream, but in a lower tone."

"If you say so…" Her voice trailed off, but it was signifying that she didn't believe him.

"What?"

"Nothing!" Cagalli was laughing out loud now. "Why are you so guilty? Okay, fine, fine I'll stop making fun of you now."

-o0o-

"Lacus, I think your plan's not working." Miriallia whispered to her. The moment she found out that there was no progress in Athrun and Cagalli's situation, she, Dearka, Shiho and Yzak rushed to the resort to help. Well actually, they just wanted to see Athrun and Cagalli's progress. Too bad for them, there was still no change in the way they act towards each other.

"Yeah! At this rate, Cagalli and Nicol are going to develop feelings for each other. No more team AsuCaga for us!" Shiho added, with a dread of panic in her voice.

"Don't worry." Lacus calmed the two of them down. They needed an optimist in this kind of situation, and Lacus was the right person to play that part. "Nicol's got a girlfriend so that's not a possibility."

"Oh really…" Dearka decided to kill their hopes, just for the heck of it. "What if he breaks up with his girlfriend and gets together with Cagalli? Poor Athrun… Well, it's his fault for not talking to her." Actually, he didn't want Nicol and Cagalli to get together; he thought that Athrun and Cagalli already made a good couple. But then again, he was just teasing them, which resulted death glares from the three girls shot at him.

"Shut up Elsman." Yzak shushed him.

"Look who's becoming an optimist now." Dearka pointed out, which lead Yzak to nudge him in the stomach.

"Oof-" Dearka wanted to yell at Yzak for hitting him but was shushed by the three girls beside him.

"Yzak's right!" Shiho agreed and rolled her eyes for Dearka to see. "Like that will happen."

"Where's that freaking Athrun anyway?" Yzak impatiently grunted. "Another guy is making moves on his girl already."

"Just wait." Lacus assured him. "He'll be here soon enough."

"Is Robert with him?" Miriallia asked.

"Nope." Lacus shook her head no. "But don't worry, Robert's in good hands."

-o0o-

"What are you looking for anyway Mister Number Three?" Athrun dragged along behind Kira. They were walking along the beach as Kira bent down, twisted his head to the left and to the right, peered behind every rock he could find, but there was still no sign that he found it. He was minding his own business in the kitchen, thinking about Cagalli and Cagalli and Cagalli, and then Kira taps him and asks him to help him look for something that he doesn't even know where he lost.

The worst part is that Kira wasn't even telling him what it was. How useless it was that he was asked to help him, yet he doesn't know what he was supposed to be searching for. Now, he just looked like a dog that followed Kira whenever he went.

"Seriously Kira." Athrun took a deep breath, trying to remain patient. "What the hell am I supposed to be looking for? I can't help you if you don't tell me, and I might have seen it already you know."

Kira stood to face him. "I… uh… I…" _Drats! I didn't even think about that! _True enough, he wasn't even looking for anything in particular. It was just that, after Cagalli had gone out, Lacus requested, or rather, commanded him to drag Athrun outside of the house and to where Cagalli was, and she didn't tell her the reason why. But he knew it was for her operation to make them talk to each other again.

He didn't know why they were acting like that, and he didn't want to know because he might just get angry at Athrun, if he were at fault. But in any case, he wanted the two of them to get back to their normal 'relationship' because he doesn't want to see Cagalli looking so depressed every time he sees her.

"Earth to Kira," Athrun cut his train of thoughts, he apparently was getting annoyed that Kira still wasn't answering him. "Are you going to tell me what it is, or should I go back to the rest house?"

"I'm looking for Lacus' bracelet!" He blurted out without thinking; a bracelet was the only think that came to mind. "She looks so worried that I thought I'd go out and look for it."

"Oh I see." Athrun seemed convinced. "Where'd she lose it?"

"Here in the beach." Kira said, the lies fluidly coming out of his mouth. "We were taking a stroll yesterday, so I really don't know where she dropped it."

"What does it look like?"

"It's a gold bracelet with flower charms. It's really hard to miss, I promise." Kira told him, while secretly searching for where Cagalli was. When he saw a streak of blonde and green hair on the far side of the beach, he knew what he was supposed to do. "Uhm hey Athrun?"

"Hmm?" Athrun seemed preoccupied in looking for the bracelet already. If this was a normal day, Kira would be rolling on the floor and laughing, so Mister Number One was this gullible.

"Can you look over there?" Kira pointed to the direction of where Cagalli and Nicol were. "I'll stay and look right here in this area."

"Okay." He walked towards the area that Kira pointed to search for the 'lost' bracelet of Lacus, with no idea that he was being tricked.

When Kira saw Athrun heading into that direction, he dashed to where Lacus and the others were hiding. He was received with all the thumbs up and congratulations that they gave him for a job well done.

Athrun on the other hand, continued walking to where he was supposedly going to look for the bracelet, but kept his head down, so that he might actually see the bracelet lying innocently on the sand.

Bracelet, just where the hell are you anyway?

He didn't know why he agreed to this in the first place, but then again, it wasn't as if he was doing anything important inside the rest house, he was actually just hanging around the kitchen. Not that he was hungry, he just felt like staying there. He refused to bring some of his work along, because this was supposed to be something that they'll do for fun.

Apparently, he was still as miserable as before. And why wouldn't he? He wasn't even talking to the person that he wanted to talk to the most. He wasn't having the least bit of fun here, in fact everyday turned into a kind of hide-and-seek game between him and Cagalli. Where Cagalli was, he wouldn't try and go there.

It wasn't because he didn't like her, it was really not that, heck he even had this realization that he already loved her.

He loved her already.

Yes he had to admit that. Actually, when he first met her, he had been crazy about her as if he hadn't broken up with Meyrin. The moment he laid eyes on her on that bar, he was determined to get to know her more.

What Cagalli didn't even know was that, when they slept together for the first time, he spent at least two hours staring at her sleeping face. It was just so beautiful and serene, but of course he never told her or even his friends about that.

Then yes, that's how it started. Every day he spent with her, he found more and more reasons for him to like her. Eventually, he fell in love with her.

So it was undoubtedly because he didn't like her. It was just, every time he'd be around Cagalli, there'd be this kind of intoxication pulling him towards her. She just had this kind of aura that made him so in love with her. He had to admit, that he was more in love now than he was with Meyrin before. Now, he was now contemplating on whether he was in love with Meyrin at all, because what he was feeling for Cagalli was nothing like before.

It was like the 'Law of Attraction', he would always want to draw near her, like a magnet to a metal. He always wanted to touch her, to hug her or to kiss her. Whenever he saw her, he immediately wanted to drape his arms around hers and never let go, and then maybe kiss her?

It was really hard to not do that.

And Athrun was a man that didn't have that much self-control. Actually he usually was in his work and before, but with Cagalli, it was like his senses were proving him wrong every single time.

When he thought about what Cagalli had gone through because of that one time that he was unable to contain his hormones, he couldn't bear seeing Cagalli undergo it again. He would be a man without any sense of responsibility if he let his hormones take over him yet again.

As his mother would always say to him when he was younger, _"Feelings are temporary, consequences are long-lasting."_

He forgot that one time and look at what happened to Cagalli, she became pregnant.

Not that he regretted his decision because now he was able to fall in love with such a marvelous woman and now they have an adorable son, but then again, he couldn't afford making her experience those other things that she had.

Cagalli was so important to him right now that he couldn't stand the sight of her suffering from the stress of pregnancy, the stress when Kira became mad at her for the careless casual sex, the fear of death caused by possible miscarriages, the pain from giving birth to the child.

He was determined to not let her undergo all those things again.

And what better way of not showing his affections to her but to stay away from her?

He was finding it very hard actually to stay away from her when every single part of his body wants to always be around her perimeter, but that was why he was always so glum nowadays. But what could he do? That was the only way for making sure that it won't happen again.

The fact that he wasn't even sure that Cagalli also had the same feelings for him drove him insane. What if it he kept trying to show his affection for Cagalli by wanting to hug, cuddle or kiss her, but she doesn't feel the same way? Rather she doesn't want him to do all that.

He wanted to ask her if she completely moved on with that ex-boyfriend of hers, but then he had no guts to ask.

Since when did he become like this?

So love really does this to people.

He kept thinking about Cagalli that he soon was starting to hear her voice, laughing.

It sounded so real.

_Wait!_

He was really hearing her.

It's not his imagination, he was sure of that.

He lifted his head to see Cagalli; there she really was seated on the sand looking beautiful as ever while she was laughing her heart out.

Wow he could really stare at her the whole day. He really could, and he won't complain or get bored. He does that all the time whenever she was sleeping, and whenever she wasn't noticing that he was staring at her.

But he didn't.

His reaction would have been filled with awe and fascination, but something stopped him from doing just that. Why? That must be because she seemed to be having so much fun with Nicol, the owner of the resort. True enough, Cagalli was really exchanging stories with him, and they seem to enjoy each other's company.

Enjoying each other's company eh?

Just how the hell did that happen?

Athrun froze in his place after seeing that sight. Seeing them laugh with one another like that sent him to feel some unknown sensation. It was like someone was punching, tossing and messing with his insides. There was this ache in his chest that he never felt before and he didn't like that feeling.

He was okay with Cagalli exchanging laughs with Kira; he was the brother for crying out loud. He didn't mind it too if she was joking around with Yzak or Dearka. But something about Nicol, and all the other guys interacting with Cagalli made him so much uncomfortable. There were times that he'd give a death glare to all those other guys giving her some kind of look when they went out. He even remembered threatening Shinn because he kept on bugging Cagalli to accept him. Oh how he wanted those guys to disappear.

He couldn't stand to be there, just watching them all happy in each other's company. Now, he found Nicol annoying. Now he knew that he was supposed to be nice to him for letting them stay in the rest house but the way he was acting irked him. He acting like he was super close with Cagalli. The hell! They just met yesterday, now they were here spending time with each other like they've known each other for years.

There was one part of him that wanted some mental powers from television shows that he watched when he was still a kid so that that could toss Nicol far away from Cagalli just by thinking about it. Then a sudden realization came to him. _What?_ Why the hell was he thinking about stuff like that?

Oh so now he was jealous.

He was jealous?

Yes, very much indeed.

He hadn't noticed it himself, but his hands were starting to form into fists. It was like he wanted to punch Nicol already, but was refraining from doing so. His fists trembled from the sudden fury that he was feeling, he couldn't even explain why his blood started to boil. All that he wanted now was for Nicol to step away from Cagalli. Like many kilometers away?

Maybe he was paranoid or something, but could Nicol possibly like Cagalli? Well Cagalli was really likeable, no doubt about that.

_What the hell?_ He screamed to himself when he saw Nicol's hand trying to touch her shoulder.

Oh no he wasn't.

Oh forget Lacus' bracelet, Kira might have found that already. He had a more pressing matter to attend to.

Before he knew it, he was approaching the two of them.

Cagalli and Nicol stopped in their conversation when Athrun approached them. But the both were still seated comfortably in the sand. They both looked at him like he was someone that purposely intruded the conversation.

Of course he did.

"Cagalli can we please talk for a moment?" He didn't even look or talk to Nicol because he might not be able to control himself, he just pulled Cagalli's hand and they walked away from the direction of where Nicol was seated.

When the two of them were finally far from Nicol, he turned back to Lacus was hiding, behind a big rock.

"Hey coast is clear." He said to them and a series of voices sighed in relief.

"Finally!" Dearka was the first one to come out behind the rock and stretched his body while he walked towards Nicol. "I was wondering on when Athrun would finally see you guys."

"Thanks Kira." Lacus smiled at her boyfriend.

"No problem." He looked at her and smiled as well. "At least now they have time to themselves to talk and sort things out. As much as I don't like Mister Number One at times, I hate this sort of situation happening to the two of them.

"Aww. The brother is being a martyr for her sister." Dearka tried to tease him but received a glare from him.

"Shut up." Kira found it embarrassing to reveal to them that he somehow liked Athrun for Cagalli, so he maintained his serious façade so that Dearka would stop teasing him about it.

"But wait are you sure they'll work things out?" Shiho asked them. "Athrun seemed to be mad."

"Did you think I went overboard?" Nicol frowned. He wanted to help the two of them because he thought that they were a cute couple, but instead of doing that, he may have made things worse.

"He was just jealous of how close you were to Cagalli." Yzak said to him, he could read what Athrun's actions were easily.

"Yzak's right. You didn't go overboard" Miriallia shook his head. "You know when people get jealous, that's the sign that they really love the person."

"That's a good sign then!" Shiho said in joy.

"My plan worked!" Lacus chimed in joy. "Well, let's go back to the house and let the two of them settle this once and for all!"

-o0o-

She just walked behind Athrun as he continued to drag her from Nicol.

Where was he planning to go? She didn't know and it didn't matter to her. Complaining was the least thing that she wanted to do now. At last, Athrun wanted to talk to her after a few days of avoiding her. That feeling when he finally looked her in the eyes and grabbed her hand was the best feeling she had felt in days, aside from Robert being such an angel. Not to mention that he was holding her hand for a few minutes now, it was the one thing that she wanted him to do.

Although, they kept walking and walking, without any traces of Athrun stopping, he wasn't turning back to even look at her.

"Hey Athrun." Cagalli swallowed her hesitation of starting the conversation and asked him. "Where are we going?"

With that, Athrun stopped walking; he realized that he had been holding her hand for the longest time in days. He finally let go of Cagalli's hand, but didn't turn around to face her.

Silence.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" She started to talk again, the atmosphere was killing her. Even though she was happy that she was together with Athrun, she felt like something was wrong.

Silence.

He looked mad a while ago when he said that he wanted to talk to her about something, he didn't even talk to Nicol.

"Is anything w-" Before she could finish what she was about to say, Athrun cut her off, finally turned to her and spoke.

"If you're here, then who's watching over Robert?" The words came out of his mouth as if he was really angry at her for doing something wrong.

Her eyes widened at Athrun's tone. So he was mad. "Lacus is with him." She told him in a very tranquil manner. Deep down, she was frightened with Athrun's tone. Was he mad at her?

"So, you left Robert with Lacus so that you can chit-chat with the owner of the resort?" His voice was full of exasperation. The green-eyed monster was getting the better out of him.

"No." Cagalli shook her head, why did she feel like she was being scolded? "I was walking around the beach trying to relax and then he came and talked to me." Athrun's angry gaze never left her eyes.

"How long were you planning to leave Robert with Lacus? Were you seriously planning on talking with the owner of the resort the whole day?"

Now Cagalli was getting annoyed, he was starting to sound like a nagging mother-in-law that she always watched in television shows. So yeah, she was the mother and she was always supposed to look after Robert, but then again, wasn't she allowed to take a break? That was the reason why Lacus told her to take a walk

And what about him? If he was so mad about Lacus looking after Robert, then why didn't he take her place then? She was the one always watching over him, they should at least take turns.

_Breathe in, breathe out Cagalli_. She thought to herself. _Just relax._

"If I hadn't pulled you away from him, then maybe you two would end up talking until sunset." He pointed out.

That was the last straw.

She wasn't going to stay quiet at that, it was like Athrun was trying to say that she was flirting with him.

"Why are you so mad anyway?" Cagalli yelled at him. "Am I not allowed to take a break? If you don't want Lacus to watch over him, then you ought to do it yourself! I've been watching him most of the time when we got here! All you ever do is hang around someplace else!"

He didn't have any answer to that. Well she was right, when they got to the resort, he always distanced himself from Cagalli, who was always with Robert, so they really didn't get to spend a lot of time together.

"And besides, why are you getting annoyed because I'm talking with Nicol? If you don't want me to talk to him, I'm assuming you are because you've been so angry when you saw us a while ago, then you should have been the one I'm supposed to be talking to!" She didn't even care if she was saying out loud the thoughts that she really meant to say to him. Heck her patience also had a limit.

Athrun was the one who was taken aback now, he didn't notice that he was saying irrational and petty stuff up till now just because he was jealous of Cagalli having so much fun with Nicol.

"But no," She told him. "You continued to avoid for the past few days, I don't even know why! You don't talk to me like you used to anymore. You only talk to me because of Robert, but other than that, you give me the silent treatment! What am I supposed to do? Talk to the wall?"

Cagalli had tears welling up in her eyes already and Athrun couldn't look at her anymore. He felt very embarrassed about everything he had done for the past few days. Everything she said was right. Suddenly, he felt that it had been his fault all along.

"I'll tell you something Athrun," She continued, even though her voice was trembling. She took a deep breath before trying to continue her sentence. She was finally going to say it. There was no turning back now.

"IT REALLY SUCKS WHEN THE PERSON YOU LOVE IS IGNORING YOU DAMN IT!" The tears started to fall down from her eyes the moment she finished saying that. Even thought she wanted it to stop, it just kept falling from her eyes. She was breathing so hard right now; she couldn't believe that she said that. She just confessed to Athrun. Now all she could do was stand there and wait for him to say that he didn't feel the same way.

So that maybe the reason why Athrun wasn't talking to her anymore, she guessed, because he might give her the false idea if he had continued kissing her that time.

So that was it then.

Oh how painful that was.

That pain of not being loved by the person you love was painful.

There was this sudden ache in her heart that she couldn't even bear feeling.

She couldn't even move after that sudden outburst. It was like every single drop of her energy was drained. All she could do was to helplessly stand there and cover her eyes from Athrun's sight as she continued to cry frantically, at least her embarrassment and vulnerability would lessen, even though it was just a tad bit.

For all those days that she felt hurt that Athrun wasn't talking to her, she cried. The epiphany that Athrun couldn't reciprocate her feelings, she cried for that as well.

It took moments after that for Athrun to realize that he had been wrong the whole freaking time.

Athrun couldn't believe that Cagalli, the girl he had been crazy for the past few months now, was bawling like crazy because of him. And if he just could, he wanted to beat himself up for doing it. Maybe he'd ask Kira to give him a beating later.

But right now that wasn't important.

The only thing that mattered to him now was pulling Cagalli in his arms and repeatedly telling her that she was wrong and that he was sorry.

"Cagalli," He went towards her and finally enclosed her body in his arms. How he loved the feeling he was holding Cagalli. "I'm sorry for making you cry, I'm sorry for treating you like I did for the past few days. I only did that because I thought that would be the best thing to do. But now I know that it wasn't." He held for tighter, she seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"It really wasn't a good thing to do at all." Cagalli nodded as she buried her head in his chest and wrapped her arms around it. "Seriously, don't do that to me again."

"I won't. I'll talk to you forever and ever if you want." He said. "That is, if you don't get tired of me."

"I won't." She shook her head.

A few moments of silence later, he loosened the grip that he had on her body and looked her in the eye. "So, as the start of our discourse forever, as I promised, these are the first words that I'd like to say to you."

"Hmm?" She said as Athrun wiped her tear-stricken face. "What is it?"

"I love you too."

She felt her heart thumping so very fast when she heard him say that. His words were sincere, but she selfishly wanted to confirm that by asking him a favor.

"Really?"

"Yes really." She was too cute, asking if that confession was true. But Athrun thought that she was cute in that way.

"Kiss me then."

"I thought you'd never ask." He leaned down as both of them closed their eyes and experienced the most amazing kiss.

-o0o-

Done! Hah this is too cheesy for my life. =)) Seriously. Too. Cheesy. Asdfghjkl qwertyuiop zxcvbnm. I had difficulty writing this one, if you noticed the 'love love love you' part was a bit short, that's cause… Anyway, hope I made all of you folks happy!

Review if you can, you feedback, as I've always said, is very much appreciated.

Additional Notes:

[1] Eye-mo – something for the eyes. =))

[2] Indiana Jones – some explorer. :))


	34. HHWW

A/N: Hello guys… So, almost 5 months of not updating my fic, hahaha. This is embarrassing, but yeah, you all know that it's school trying to tear me away from updating my fanfic. But since the semester is over, and summer is taking place, well I don't know. :)) I don't want to make promises that I can't keep but I'll try to update the fic during my break. And if the chapter's kinda crappy, it may be because I haven't written fics in a long time.

So, to refresh you guys because of the long gap between two chapters:

Recap from last chapter: Athrun and Cagalli weren't talking for days, Lacus and Kira decides to take them to a resort so that they could make amends. The days that they were in the resort passed and still no progress, so Lacus decides to take the matters in her own hands and make Athrun jealous with Nicol. So basically, her plan works and finally Athrun and Cagalli confess their feelings to each other, and kiss.

So, this is the next chapter! Have fun reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Chapter 34: HHWW (Holding Hands While Walking)

"Athrun, I missed you." Cagalli said to the boy beside her as she stared into the sunset. Moments after their confession of love to each other, the long-awaited kiss and after Cagalli calmed down, the two of them sat down on the sands of the beach and enjoyed the view of the setting sun that made the sky ablaze with orange and the reflection of the sunset on the beach. "I'm so glad that we're okay now."

"Yeah, I missed you too. I missed you so much actually." Athrun replied, adding emphasis on how he missed her, letting Cagalli lean on his shoulder. His voice was as peaceful as the waves of the ocean calmly reached the shore.

"Sorry for being such a jerk and ignoring you for a whole week." Now that he thought about it, he wanted to punch himself for the stupid thing that he did.

She nodded her head no, while still leaning on his shoulders. "I forgive you, just don't do it again." She was serious, she didn't want him to walk past her every single day that they were together as if she didn't exist or invisible.

"I won't, Double P." He assured her as he wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He had been yearning to be this close to her the past few days.

Silence engulfed the two of them, but it was not the uncomfortable silence that the two had been in for that week, both not knowing what to say to each other, both felt that the silence between them was deafening. The type of silence that surrounded the two of them right now was entirely different. Now, they were comfortable in each other's company that words need not be said, being together was more than enough.

"Hey." Cagalli poked his shoulder. Although it was a very comfortable silence for the both of them, Cagalli broke the ice. One week of silence was enough; they had to catch up on the talking before they forget each other's voices.

"Hmm?" He turned to look at Cagalli who was still looking at the beautiful sight that what was in front of her. "What is it?"

"Were you jealous?" She started to snicker a bit.

"Jealous?" He didn't expect that question coming. "And why are you laughing?"

"Yes jealous." She nodded and refused to answer Athrun's second question.

"Jealous of?" Athrun had no idea what she was even talking about. What was he jealous of exactly?

"You know… Jealous." She didn't even continue what she had to say, she thought that the question was pretty obvious already. "Oh come on Athrun, stop trying to act all innocent about this!"

"Jealous of?" He was now confused, what is she trying to ask him? "I don't really get it. What am I jealous of?"

"This guy can sometimes be so clueless!" She thought to herself. Cagalli got up from leaning on his shoulder and faced him, taking a deep breath before she started to speak. "Well because a while ago I was talking with Nicol about stuff and then you appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me to come with you. You then walked away from Nicol while dragging me with you, angrily. "

"Wai-" Athrun felt embarrassed as he also remembered what had happened an hour ago, yes it was the green-eyed monster, it took over him, especially when he saw Cagalli having so much fun talking with Nicol. He knew he shouldn't have, but then it just happened that he felt so much jealousy.

"Then you were accusing me of not taking care of Robert while I was chit-chatting with the owner of the resort." Cagalli raised her eyebrows at him, clearly demanding for an explanation why he acted like that towards her.

"I- it's, uhh.. uh.. Well…" Athrun was pretty much stuttering now; he didn't know how to explain himself to Cagalli without appearing like a jealous boyfriend. He didn't really dislike Nicol in particular, he really didn't. In fact, the two of them became friends during their stay at the resort; he was nice and friendly to all of them. But when he saw the two of them talking together with each other like that, while he and Cagalli weren't talking at all, he suddenly felt threatened.

"Then you also said, 'How long were you planning on leaving Robert with Lacus" and 'If I hadn't pulled you away from him, then you two would probably be talking until sunset.'" Cagalli mimicked him in a very teasing manner.

Athrun could not believe that he said those words. Now he wanted the sand to swallow him alive to avoid this confrontation. He had never been the spotlight when it comes to topics like these, and now that he was, he really didn't like it.

"Now were you jealous a while ago?" Cagalli still asked him. It felt so taunting to be interrogated about jealousy issues. Why wouldn't he answer the question? When Athrun hesitated to answer her because he was feeling so humiliated, she told him. "Don't be shy Athrun, it's just me. I won't tell the others."

"Ugh fine." Athrun covered his face with his palm to conceal the embarrassment that he now harbored against his actions a while ago. "Okay you caught me; I was a little bit jealous while ago."

"A little bit?" Cagalli refused to believe that the jealousy meter was at a low scale. "Are you sure about that?"

"Fine, I was a lot jealous!" Athrun said in an offensive manner.

She laughed when she this side of Athrun that she never saw before. Of course, he had been angry with Shinn when he tried to harass her, but this kind of behavior coming from Athrun was entirely different from that, it was actually like a feeling of insecurity. "Knew it." Cagalli made fun of Athrun that was continually mortified of the way that he acted towards her and Nicol an hour ago.

He sighed, he never knew that he would become this way. Maybe this was the effect she had on him, he didn't want to lose her. "I apologize for acting that way towards you a while ago, I didn't mean to say all that. When I saw you laughing with Nicol like that, when I wasn't even able to say a word to you, I felt really annoyed with what I saw. I'm also sorry for shouting and accusing you like that." His face was similar to a child that was asking for forgiveness for what he had done, it was too cute.

"It's okay." She nudged it off. "You got carried away, I totally understand that."

"But still," Athrun felt bad by the way he had acted towards he and Nicol. It was mandatory that he also asked for an apology from Nicol, since he thought wrongly of him.

"Athrun, it's okay." She assured him. "Next time, I'll make sure I won't make you jealous!" She squealed in enthusiasm for the mood was becoming very serious from the very light mood that they were in a while ago.

"Are you saying that I'm a guy that easily gets jealous huh Cagalli?" Athrun looked at her disbelievingly. He was not a jealous man!

Cagalli smirked and replied. "Well I'm not the one dragging you from other girls and accusing you of not taking care of Robert, now am I?" Truth be told she always knew that Athrun attracted a lot of girls without even trying, heck whenever they went ladies stared at him like he was some hot celebrity they wanted to throw themselves at, so she programmed herself to not get possessive of him once she was always with him. She thought that the feeling was not the same, and that Athrun just teased her a lot, so she expected him to start dating a few other girls. But he didn't, which surprised Cagalli. She inwardly admitted that at times, she was tempted to send glares on other girls; she didn't know that the feeling was mutual back then.

Realizing what she was doing, instead of acting so offensive, Athrun fought back. "Really? Wow, then you're not the type that easily gets jealous, then I can flirt with other girls and you won't mind! Fantastic! Thanks!" If Cagalli was teasing him, then she should know that he was better with that. She had been making fun of him for a few minutes now.

"Hey!" Cagalli pouted. "Suddenly the joke's back on me!" She turned her back on Athrun and since she got a bit annoyed with what he said. "Go ahead! Flirt with all the other girls! Like I care, you playboy."

"Really now?" Looks like he had won in turning things around.

"Yes really!" She shrugged.

"You sure?"

"Hmph, whatever Athrun, I don't care if you go sweety-sweety with other girls. Like I said,go ahead." She told him to flee already. He was getting amused, so she gets jealous as well.

"I'm kidding." He laughed and hugged her from behind, she was just too cute. "Of course I won't flirt with other girls; I'm exclusive to only you." When Cagalli still wasn't facing him, he asked. "Are you mad now?"

Cagalli was too flustered to even react to his question, her face turned bright red and she was sure that it wasn't because of the heat of the sun. Athrun hugging her from behind was enough to keep her quiet and to forget that she was supposedly mad at him because he'll be flirting with girls, other than her.

"Cagalli? I was just joking, you know." Athrun repeated what he said while bringing her closer to him, making Cagalli's face become redder. He really didn't know that he was making her blush like that, he thought that she was angry at him and didn't wish to speak to him, he didn't want to let them get into a fight, they just started talking after abstaining from each other for a week for crying out loud!

Trying to conceal the redness of her face, she answered. "It's okay, I'm not mad at you. And uhm, we should get back to Robert now, we don't want to make Lacus look after him the whole day." Of course she wasn't mad at him at all, she knew that he was just teasing him, but it was working damn well. She tried to escape the situation before Athrun tries to take his teasing to another level. She stood up and made sure that Athrun didn't see her flushed face.

"Really? You're not mad or you're not tempted to slap me in the face at all?" Athrun got up, brushed off the sand in his clothes and chased the blonde who was walking briskly back to the resort.

She shook her head no, but still headed for the beach house. "Let's go befor-" She froze in her tracks when she felt Athrun's hands in hers.

Athrun's fingers were intertwined with hers.

They were holding hands!

Her brain had a hard time registering what was happening to her.

Athrun held her hand. Athrun held her hand. Athrun held her hand.

This wasn't the first time that she was hand-in-hand with Athrun, they have held each other's hands before. Of course she also liked the feeling that they were holding hands, but because they confessed it felt like he was holding her hand as someone that he loved, not just someone he felt protective of just because she was carrying his child. During those moments, she felt like Athrun was sort of like Kira.

But now, it was entirely different. She felt like a high school girl finally holding hands with a boy that she liked so much.

It felt just like she was in her own romantic movie.

"Cause the spaces between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly."[1]

Wait what the hell! Suddenly she was hearing lyrics from a song of Owl City in her head. But she couldn't deny that the song was a perfect background music to what was happening to them right now. It was just so applicable.

"You're holding… my hand." Cagalli finally said, still unable to believe it, and pretty much stating the obvious.

"I am." He grinned slyly at her, proud at what he had just done. "I thought it would be nice to go back, hand in hand."

"But, but." Cagalli stuttered, still was in shock. Athrun was so aggressive in making his moves at times.

"You don't want to?" Athrun pouted and he slowly pulled his hands away from hers. "Well then, I guess I'll just-"

"No don't!" Cagalli grasped his hands and gripped it tight. "Don't let go of my hand!"

Athrun was surprised by her sudden actions but smiled to himself. She looked so red, but she didn't care anyway. He was happy that at least she was being "Okay, I won't let it go." He interlaced their fingers yet again and had a tighter hold on her. "Let's go back to Robert, shall we?"

Cagalli smiled as she held on to his warm hand. She spent the whole walk back to Nicol's resort remembering this "first" holding-hands-while-walking moment. How soft his palm felt against hers, how gentle he held her hand, how her heart was thumping madly, and how she wished for this moment to never end.

What she didn't know was, Athrun saw her smiling face all along.

-o0o-

"Oh dear, here they come!" Lacus warned everyone in the living room.

"At long last, I thought they were going to stay the night at the shore." Yzak rolled his eyes, clearly got impatient of waiting for the both of them to return.

"You will never get excited for anything, now will you?" Shiho sighed at the Yzak's pessimistic attitude.

Miriallia shushed the both of them. "Stop with the arguing you two, they're almost here! Go and hide!" She rushed to hide behind the couches of Nicol's living room; Dearka was there beside her already. Yzak ran to hide with them while Shiho hid in one of Nicol's other couches.

Nicol still looked confused with everything that was happening. "Wait, so I'm not hiding and I'm the one that has to greet them?"

Lacus nodded. "Yup, so it doesn't look so suspicious." She grabbed Kira to hide with her behind the curtains.

"Okay then."

A few seconds later, Athrun and Cagalli's long-awaited arrival finally came. "Hi Athrun and Cagalli!" Nicol greeted them with his most unnatural face ever, he tried not to grin or laugh even though he had a hard time doing so. So the product of trying to manage his laugh was a distorted smile, lips trembling because of the dire need to control his yearning to already laugh out loud. His eyes were twitching a bit, this might be due to the intense concentration he focused on his mouth, not trying to express amusement.

"Nicol, hi there." Cagalli greeted him when they entered. With the weird look in his face, she asked him. "Hey, are you feeling okay?" She was sure Athrun also noticed that his face was not the usual serene one.

"Yeah Nicol." Athrun agreed. "You do look, somewhat…" He didn't have any words to describe Nicol's face. Well, actually he had, but it was rather offensive. Considering how he acted towards Nicol a while ago, he preferred to keep his mouth shut.

"Yea-yeah! Sure!" Nicol shook his head yes, but he silently wished that the people hiding in his living room would come out so he can let all of his laughter out. "I'm feeling okay! Why'd you ask that?"

"Bec-" Cagalli was just starting to explain herself when Nicol bursted out laughing. "I can't do this! Really, I can't have a poker face during situations like these!"

Athrun and Cagalli looked at each other in bewilderment. Nicol was just acting so weird towards them.

"HELLO ATHRUN AND CAGALLI!" Athrun and Cagalli almost had a heart attack when the two of them were met with a lot of cheers and screams. At first it was Nicol, now evident to them that he was trying to conceal his laughter then a number of people shout their name and appear from everywhere in the living room. It was insane. At the moment, they felt like they were being sabotaged.

Kira just wanted to laugh at both of their faces, their eyes were wider than the usual and Mister Number One's mouth was wide open in shock. He tried to interpret the look on both of their faces. Cagalli, whose face was trying to say: "What the hell? Why did they even hide and try to surprise us?" then he looked at Athrun's face, "Where the hell did Yzak, Dearka, Miriallia and Shiho come from?"

He felt so amused with their stunned faces that he kept looking at them, then finally noticed that they were holding hands.

Huh?

Wait a minute.

What I just saw, was that for real?

They were holding hands?

They were holding hands.

They were holding hands!

Hands plus hands, equals holding hands.

Athrun's hands plus Cagalli's hands, equals…

Lovey dovey?

What the hell?

"HOLDING HANDS? You two are holding hands?" It took a while for Kira's brain to register that the two of them were really holding hands. Although he knew that because of Lacus' plan to help the two of them be able to talk to each other, and with that confession and ack, kiss, ack that they had a while ago; this was probably what they would be doing.

But he so wasn't ready for it. This was all too fast for him! When Athrun and Cagalli were getting sweeter by the moment at the beach, he even wanted to put a stop to the public display of affection, if only he wasn't stopped by his girlfriend. His overprotective brother mode was on and he felt like some sort of strict dad preventing his daughter from dating guys.

With his outburst, everyone in the room all put their attention to Athrun and Cagalli while they were holding hands.

"You are!" Lacus grinned, although she knew all along what was happening. "I'm happy for you!"

"Congratulations!" Nicol shook the available hands of the couple.

Lacus, Mirialla and Shiho all squealed. They were all happy for their friend. The past few days she had been depressed because they haven't been able to talk at all, now she looked so blooming, even holding hands with Athrun.

Dearka and Yzak felt impressed that things were fixed between the both of them, but tried not to react. Yzak of course, didn't say anything, although he wanted to, because he wanted to remain cool and indifferent in the eyes of the gang. But deep down, he was happy for them, he just didn't want it to show. Dearka on the other hand, knew better to shut his mouth, than to tease them with green jokes that might send the mood off.

But then again, Dearka couldn't help himself from not saying something about this. "Athrun's taking it to the next level!"

It became so awkward for Cagalli that she let her hand go in reflex, much to the disappointment of Athrun that the moment had to end soon.

"I thought you two were never going to let go of each other." Kira felt relieved when the two of them distanced themselves with each other due to the commotion it caused the other people in the living room.

"Kira! Stop being like that." Lacus tsk-ed his boyfriend when she saw his unhappy reaction with the both of them. "You're supposed to be happy for them."

"Fine sorry." Kira sighed in defeat, only Lacus can persuade him on matters like those, especially Cagalli with his rival, Mister Number One. "Fine, here goes." He cleared his throat and spoke in an unhappy, ungrateful, uncaring, and unsatisfied tone he could ever muster. "Congratulations."

Athrun pointed it out when he saw the expression on Mister Number Three's face. "You don't look or sound happy."

"and the 'congratulations' wasn't even heartfelt." Cagalli continued for him. She was saddened though with the tone of Kira's voice. Even until now he still didn't want Athrun for her. Will Athrun and Kira never get along?

No one seemed to notice the disappointed expression on Cagalli's face because they all squealed at the fact that Cagalli and Athrun were continuing sentences for each other.

"You two are so sweet, finishing sentences for each other!" Miriallia gave Cagalli a hug.

"Wait, where did you all come from?" Athrun asked, pointing to the four new guests. "How long have you all been here?"

"We…" Shiho started to say. Should she say 'We were stalking you two to see whether you'll confess your feelings to each other?' or 'We came here to see if Lacus' plan to get you two together worked?' Nope, she probably shouldn't say that. "We uhm…" Cagalli and Athrun looked at her intently, waiting for an answer. Still not knowing what to say, she nudged Miriallia on the shoulder for help.

Miriallia was surprised that she had to do the explaining, so she had to come up with something, and fast. "Actually, we just arrived here."

Shiho nodded. "Yeah!" She and Miriallia were not lying well. They looked over to Dearka and Yzak who just shrugged their shoulders; they had no idea what to say to them at all.

"Well I thought of having a Barbeque tonight, so might as well invite a lot of people." Nicol answered for them. "The more the merrier!"

The two seemed convinced with what Nicol had just said because when Lacus continued talking how the Barbeque, the two of them believed every word she had just said.

"Hey, I'm going to go to Robert, okay?" Cagalli said to Athrun. She was a bit worried when she saw that Robert was still inside their room and everyone else was in the living room. What if Robert was hungry or needed to change diapers?

"I tucked him in a while ago." Lacus assured her, but didn't convince her to stay downstairs.

"I'm going with you." He rushed with Cagalli and went upstairs.

Kira almost reacted to that, but received a death glare from Lacus. He wondered how the death glares she sent him were still beautiful and angelic-looking. But he decided to shut out the possibility of Athrun doing something perverted to Cagalli and let them go up the stairs to check on their son.

When the two of them gone upstairs to be with their baby, Nicol tapped Yzak and Dearka and motioned them to go outside. "You two should come with me."

"Where are we going?" Yzak asked him.

"Getting stuff for the barbeque." Nicol looked at them knowingly. "I don't really have enough for everybody in the fridge so we might as well buy so we can hold a Barbeque."

"Oh okay, I'm liking this." Dearka smiled, at least after the long drive to the resort, they were finally getting a Barbeque. It was a good thing that Nicol answered for them, now they had to have a Barbeque.

Actually, someone noticed the saddened expression in Cagalli's face.

Kira did.

-o0o-

Night time was beautiful at Nicol's resort, very different from the daytime view. Although the surroundings in the beach were dark, the moon was a perfect circle, vivid as a pearl as it made itself illuminated in the dark ocean. There were no clouds that blocked the stars from twinkling ever so brightly in the sky.

"Hey, mind if I sit?" Kira went to where Athrun was seated. As promised, Nicol held a Barbeque celebration for them to feast on. Everyone else was near the griller, waiting for the Barbeque to get cooked. Athrun was feet away from them, seated at the benches along with Robert on a stroller. Cagalli didn't want Robert to inhale all the smoke coming from the Barbeque grille so Athrun volunteered to watch over him because he saw how excited Cagalli became when Nicol and the others were starting up the grille.

"Yeah sure."Athrun nodded and moved aside so that Kira could sit down with him. Deep down, he found that gesture weird. Mister Number Three was never friendly with him, when they talked, there would always be a contest on who was better, well, except the time that Cagalli almost had her miscarriage, he was nice back then. But ever since then, they always bickered when they talked. He took a drink from the orange juice Cagalli gave him and spoke. "What brings you here?"

Kira put his cup down and answered. "Nothing much, I just wanted to have a chat with you. That's all."

"A chat?" Athrun could not believe that he was hearing that. Usually Kira refused to talk to him, now he was the one initiating the talk with him. Was Kira actually sick? Did he catch a virus that's why he decided to be friendly with him? Or maybe Lacus actually told Kira to have a talk with him? Whatever reason he had, Athrun found it really peculiar.

"Yeah a chat." He nodded and looked at the people near the grille. Cagalli looked so excited and kept looking at Nicol as he flipped the meat to see if it was cooked already. Kira knew that she liked to eat grilled food; she would always get excited when the two of them would grill for dinner. Looking at Lacus, she seemed to have fun in getting to know Cagalli's friends, Miriallia and Shiho. Maybe they were talking about bags and shoes? Dearka and Yzak were also there, assisting Nicol. Dearka was holding a fan that would blow the smoke away in their direction and Yzak held a plate so that Nicol could put the Barbeque there.

"A chat with me? That's odd." Athrun could only laugh, Kira was such a joker. A chat? What the hell was wrong with Mister Number Three today? "How come you want to chat with me Mister Number Three? You don't even want to be near me." He shook the rattle that he was holding with his other hand to humor Robert that was laying in the stroller.

"Well," Kira started to speak again, ignoring the comment of Athrun."The truth is." He found it hard to say what was on his mind. His pride was being hurt, he didn't want to continue what he was saying, but he knew he had to. It's for his beloved sister, Cagalli.

"What?" The blue-haired urged him to continue. Athrun shook the rattle a few times more, much to the amusement of Robert.

"Truth is…" Every person always has a hard time saying what they want to say during honest talks. Kira was having difficulty in letting the words out.

Athrun continued shaking the rattle.

"I don't really dislike you." Kira finally said.

"Hmmm." Athrun took in what he said but didn't say much.

When Athrun remained silent, Kira continued. "Though it's true that at times we don't really get along because I think we have some sort of rivalry going on between us because of that company issue, but I actually like you for my sister." He looked at Cagalli who was laughing with Nicol and Dearka.

"Really now?" Athrun couldn't believe what he was hearing, and this was coming from the person he least expected from. He sure knew how hard it was for Kira to say something earnest to his supposedly "rival".

Kira nodded, trying to say more to explain his thoughts further. "At times I may overreact when you two do couple stuff-"

"Yeah, based from your reaction a while ago, I think overreaction would be an understatement of your usual reaction." Athrun remembered the outburst Kira had when he saw the two of them holding hands. "Cagalli told me, when we both went to Robert's room that she felt uncomfortable a while ago when you shouted that way."

"Yeah, I noticed that." He agreed.

Athrun placed the rattle beside Robert, who now fell asleep. "And seriously, if Lacus didn't even tell you to react nicely, you might have strangled me or something."

"Well that…" Kira scratched his head, he was having difficulty in explaining himself.

"If you don't 'dislike me', like you said, then why do you seem so against us?" Athrun asked him.

"Of course I'll react negatively at times! Sometimes I feel like I'm Cagalli's father or something." He tried to explain his behavior from this afternoon. "I can't help it you know, if at some instances I become too much overprotective of her. She's my only sister, the only family I have left, as you already now, so it has become my instinct to protect her like she's my own daughter." He said in a sad tone. "I can't help but react at times! I always do that too even when she was with Shinn."

"With Shinn too?" Athrun thought that he had no problem with Shinn at all.

"Yeah, with him too. I was kind of freaking out since he was her first boyfriend. For example, I set a curfew for them whenever they went out on dates. Then when it's fifteen or ten minutes before the curfew, I would call up Cagalli and ask if she's headed home." He chuckled when he told Athrun his overprotective self with Shinn.

"You're really acting like a father to her." Athrun laughed as well.

"There were times when Shinn fetched Cagalli for a date, I'd go and talk to Shinn and jokingly threaten him not to do anything perverted to my sister, because if he did, I'd beat the crap out of him." He continued to tell Athrun.

"He must have been scared."

"I don't really know." Kira shrugged. "But that's my way of trying to prevent Cagalli from getting hurt, or the sort."

"Ohhh." Athrun kind of understood why he was like that. If he placed himself in Kira's position, maybe that's how he would act too. "Well that's reasonable, I guess. But I gotta say, in some instances you really tend to overreact at simple things that we do together. It makes us think that you're kind of disgusted and unsupportive with us."

"That's not true!" Kira retorted. "Maybe that's my automatic reaction whenever you guys are lovey dovey. And like I said, I tend to be too overprotective at times. I can't help but do that. But fine," He sighed in defeat. "I'll try."

"You'll try what?"

"I'll try to show it in my face and actions that I'm really happy for you two."

"Okay." Athrun felt relieved. "I look forward to that."

"With that said," Kira said after drinking from his cup. "I'm really happy for the both of you."

"Thanks."

"I actually like you better than Shinn." He confessed, since he said what was on his mind, then he should say everything that was on his mind. "There was something with Shinn that didn't sit well with me."

"It is because I'm way more attractive than he ever will be?" Athrun joked.

"No," He answered, his face like that meme he saw in that site called 9gag, days ago. [2] Who are you calling attractive you ass-face?" Kira replied to destroy his attempt at trying to boost his self-esteem. To admit that he really didn't dislike him, then to agree that he was handsome, that was just too much honesty in one day.

"Who do you think Robert got his dashing looks?" Athrun didn't give it up. "Robert looks so handsome, and that's because of the Zala genes.

"From me? Who else?" Kira held his head up high. Of course the Yamato genes were also dominant genes! "Excuse me, if you take a good long stare at Robert, then you'll know that he looks like me and Cagalli.

"Dream on…" Athrun rolled his eyes. "Even Cagalli said that Robert looks a lot like me, except for the hair. Well actually you can ask everyone else and you'll find out who they think handsome Robert looks like." The look on Kira's face was priceless when he said that.

"Everyone, you mean Lacus as well?"

"Yup, even Lacus." It was victory for Athrun. "Just admit it, like father like son. The father is good-looking and so is the son."

"Why you-" It seemed that Kira had lost yet again, but Cagalli interrupted both of them when they were almost going to bicker.

"Hey, you two seemed to be having a long talk. I bought you two these just in case you wanted." She handed them both a stick of Barbeque.

"Thanks Cagalli." Both of them said at the same time and grabbed the stick with the most pork.

And in that instant, the rivalry came back, triggered by that piece of Barbeque stick.

"Let that go Kira." Athrun warned him.

"No you let go." Kira refused to release his grasp on the stick. "I got this first."

"Stop it you too!" Cagalli exasperatedly said. They were at it again. "Play 'Rock, Papers, Scissor' to settle this."

"Fine then, let's settle this." They also said that in chorus that it annoyed the hell out of them both.

Rock.

Paper.

"I win. Hahahaha." There was a mocking laughter from Athrun as he quickly grabbed the stick in victory. "You will never be able to beat me! Never!"

"Grrr. That's unfair, you threw paper when you knew that I was going to choose 'Rock' as my weapon! You totally cheated!"

"I know nothing of what you're accusing me." Athrun took a big bite from the Barbeque stick that it made Kira more irate. "It tastes better, better than the stick you'll have, because you know, it's the taste of victory."

"Kira, just take this stick." Cagalli laughed at Kira and Athrun's childish antics. They looked more like siblings, fighting over a candy.

"Fine, but remember, I'll win our next 'Rock, Papers, Scissor' match." He settled for the smaller stick.

"Like you will." Athrun ignored his threat and continued eating. "Oh," He looked at Cagalli who was laughing at them. "Kira just confessed that-"

"Hey Zala, shut it!" Kira found it too embarrassing for Cagalli to know. "Those were for your ears only!"

"So I was right, you two were having a 'heart-to-heart' talk." Cagalli got excited. "What were you two talking about?"

"Don't tell her!" Kira shushed Athrun, he didn't want his sister to know what he had just said! Well, he did, but Athrun should at least tell her when he wasn't around so it wasn't so embarrassing for him.

"Why not?" Cagalli pouted as she sat in between them. "Why am I not allowed to know what you two have talked about?"

"I can tell you, but Kira might kill me before I can get to that." Athrun told her.

"You can't." Kira continued to bug the two of them.

"I think I'll get another stick." Athrun stood up to go to the grille. "But wait," He turned around and leaned towards Cagalli. "If you really want to know, I can tell you later, in detail but here's the summary… Kira likes me for you." He gave her a wink then went to where everyone else was. "Watch over the cutie baby for me."

"The hell, Zala, you just told her?" Kira was dumbfounded as Athrun ran to Nicol and the others. He sighed when he realized that he couldn't do anything about it any longer. "Well, now you know." He said to Cagalli.

But instead of teasing him, Cagalli even smiled at him. She was so happy to hear that. "Thank you Kira." She then gave Kira a hug.

Seeing his sister smile like that, made him forget that he wanted to take his revenge on Athrun. He also returned the hug. "Anything for my little sister."

"I'm the older sister."

"Hmph."

-o0o-

Done! Two or three more chapters until this ends? I don't really know. I may want to end this in just one chapter. Teehee.

Please give me feedbacks! I appreciate and always take note of them.

Notes:

[1] The lyrics are from Vanilla Twilight, I think. Haha.

[2] Sorry, I couldn't help but insert 9gag.


	35. It Happened

A/N: Hi. *super awkward greeting* I think I owe you all an explanation for taking too long to update. After my last update, which was April 8 2012, I was actually busy with my internship for the rest of the summer. Then it was senior year, wherein everything seemed to be more stressful because of all the things that we needed to submit and study for. Anyway, since I already graduated last month and have a lot of free time (because I'm still too lazy to find a job), I thought it would be nice to give my fiction an ending. I hope you guys still take your time to read it!

P.S. If the facts in the fic may seem inconsistent, it may be because I forgot a one thing or two (or three or four etc) because of the long hiatus. Sorry in advance!

Disclaimer: I do not and will never own Gundam Seed/Destiny unless I get freaking rich(if so, I will buy my right to own it and create an AsuCaga movie just so I can finally have a peaceful mind).

Chapter 35: It Happened

Cagalli was looking at a complete stranger.

In front of her was a very beautiful woman, very beautiful indeed. The woman's hair was gracefully made into curls and touched her shoulders gently. The woman's aquiline nose, long eyelashes, rosy cheeks, and her lovely and glowing face really left her astounded. But what struck Cagalli the most about the woman standing in front of her was that she could see that her eyes were beaming like sunshine with so much joy.

Oh she looked extraordinarily angelic, especially wearing that long white dress. The dress that the woman was wearing did not appear very extravagant, but in fact the design of the dress was very simple, yet looked very elegant on her. It was not adorned excessive gems and stones all over, there were just a few gems ornamented on the lining of her sweetheart neckline and a thin belt of sparkling gems just below her bust. It did not have layers of ruffles neither was it shaped like the gowns that Cinderella would wear, the bottom part of her ivory chiffon gown fell freely down to the ground. And it flowed while she walked.

But what Cagalli could not believe the most, was that she knew exactly who this stranger in front of her was. She did not know, but she knew, this was very true, no matter how contradictory that statement might sound.

The stranger that she was looking at was none other than herself.

Facing a full-length mirror, Cagalli felt like she was looking at a different person. This was not like the Cagalli she knew at all. She never liked wearing gowns like the one she has on right now. It seemed to be too long and princess-like for her. Fixing her hair and applying make-up was also something that she could not stand and she also felt that just because she was a girl, that doesn't mean that she had to conform to what girls should normally do.

"_Seriously? You're not going?"Kira was unable to believe his sister._

"_Not going." Cagalli nonchalantly replied while flipping through the pages of her Batman graphic novel._

_Kira couldn't help but to scratch his head. "Why not?"_

"_Because I don't like to go." She replied, her eyes not peeling away from the novel. "It's not like it's mandatory to go."_

_Kira still tried to convince her. "Yeah, but you know, high school dances only happen once in a lifetime."_

"_I'm glad it does." Cagalli said. "At least you'll only be this annoying, just once in my lifetime."_

_Kira sat at the couch that Cagalli was relaxing at and leaned towards her. "Did no one ask you to the prom?" He asked her honestly. Maybe this was why she didn't want to go. It was a big issue for their schoolmates if they went to prom without a date, it would be a humiliating experience for them. Plus, he knew that the mean girls in his school would probably pick on Cagalli if they find out._

"_OUCH!" _

_Something flew to his face and whatever hit him, it really hurt!_

_Kira came to find that it was the graphic novel that Cagalli was reading. "What is your problem Cagalli? Why'd you do throw that at me?" He caressed the area of his face that Cagalli hit him. Boy, that graphic novel was thick and heavy, he felt like his nose was hit by a wrench or something to that level._

_Still slouched on the couch, she said. "How dare you imply that I'm a loser?!" It was in a defensive tone for sure. "Of course I was asked to the prom! Tolle asked me! Miguel asked me! Rusty asked me!"_

"_Then why'd you didn't you go with one of them?" Kira put the novel on top of the table._

"_I don't want to go okay?" Cagalli exasperatedly said. "You and my friends keep bugging me to go to the prom! I just don't want to go! I don't like wearing those ridiculous long gowns! I don't like it when people do weird things with my hair! I don't like to put stupid unnecessary colors on my face! Get off my back!"_

"_Okay okay." Kira tried to calm her sister down. "I won't force you to go! Stop shouting okay?" Kira gave her a pat on the head. "You know, maybe you're not really my sister," He laughed to himself before speaking. "You're my brother… Aren't you?" He gulped nervously, knowing that she would be mad when he said that._

"_Why you little…" She caught her neck and strangled him. "I just don't like dresses! And I will never ever ridiculous gowns like that forever! I SWEAR!"_

But here she was, wearing an ivory long gown. She felt like there was another Cagalli, a clone perhaps that was wearing this gown. But it was really her. Although, talking her into it was a very grueling long process. Her friends, especially Miriallia and Shiho were very valiant and persistent when it came to persuading her.

"_Don't be ridiculous." Miriallia rolled her eyes. "Of course you have to wear a gown. How can you not wear a gown on your-"_

"_But, do I really have to?" Cagalli said in a helpless voice. There was no way out of it. She really had to do it. _

"_But you've been wearing dresses recently haven't you?" Shiho shot her a look._

"_I know! But that's different!" The blonde tried to defend herself. "Can't it just be a sort of casual attire, since we're in the modern era?"_

"_Whatever Cagalli." Shiho gave her a "Tsss" sound. "Just imagine it to be like a normal dress, but then longer, like until the ground."_

_Miriallia agreed with Shiho and started to tease Cagalli. "Yeah and the fabric is going to be chiffon or satin or sheer or polyester or velvet taffeta or-" _

"_What on earth is a taffeta?" Cagalli looked at them seriously, it was the first time she heard of the word._

"_And then it's really like a dress because we have to figure out if we want to have drapes, ruffles, or if we want a slit on the sides." Shiho added, trying to make her friend freak out some more when she said words that seem foreign to Cagalli._

"_Maybe a mermaid-style of dress will look good on you." Miriallia teased her more. "For better sex appeal."_

"_Or the ball gown type." Shiho said. "Let's make her look like a princess!"_

"_Can be!" Miriallia nodded. "Let's incorporate lace in the gown."_

"_And beads and pearls!"_

"_You have to wear a sleeveless gown! With a tube neckline!"_

"_Stoooooooooooooop!" Cagalli shouted as she was getting confused with what the two of her friends were saying. "I seriously have no idea what you're talking about! And this seems like a horrible idea! I really don't want to wear those kinds of things!"_

"_Well, if you think that this is all a horrible idea, then why don't you take back what you said to Athrun?" Miriallia raised her eyebrow at her best friend as she can get really stubborn at times. "Tell him that you're changing you mind because you don't want to wear a gown." _

_Cagalli's eyes were wide open. "I didn't mean that."_

"_It will be just this once Cagalli." Shiho pleaded her. "Just this once and you never ever have to wear anything like that again."_

_Cagalli thought about it for a moment, surely wearing it won't kill her. It's just a gown, well a hideous one at that. But then again all gowns are hideous, especially with the beads, the lace, the ruffles, the gems, the ribbons, the fabric…_

_Wait stop! She wanted to slap herself for poisoning her mind. It's just a gown Cagalli, it's just a gown. Sometimes, gowns actually look good when people wear them. Like the princesses of the United Kingdom, they look pretty._

_But then again, she wondered if it will look pretty on her._

_She wanted to bump her head on the wall, she won't get anywhere. Miriallia and Shiho were right, just this once. Only this once. She needed a motivation. Right. Something or someone that would make her agree with wearing a gown even though she didn't like to, even if it was against her will._

_Athrun…_

But she had to admit, she didn't dislike the gown that she was wearing. In fact, she liked it. The moment that Lacus showed her the design that she had done for her, she didn't react violently at all, she even gave her thumbs up. It was a good thing that it was Lacus that designed her gown, because she knew exactly what Cagalli would prefer and what she would react violently against. It didn't have all those complicated gown terminologies that Miriallia and Shiho were suggesting when they were brainstorming, it was simple yet elegant. She was fond of what Lacus had designed for her so much that it wasn't that difficult to force her into the dress. In fact, she wore it willingly and even told them her friends how grateful she was for Lacus for making such a beautiful gown and how excited she was to wear it, which shocked Miriallia and Shiho.

She didn't even mind that her hair was made into little curls. Lacus was also the one who curled her hair and told her that she wouldn't do anything crazy or unusual with her hair, which relieved her. It was a good thing that Lacus was there or else… Miriallia and Shiho would suggest all their ideas on what Cagalli's hair would look like. They wanted an up do kind of hairstyle and wanted to put all sorts of studded hair pins and floral hair accessories. Of course, Cagalli was strongly against what they were planning to do. She also did not complain about putting make-up, because it was also Lacus who did it for her. Lacus applied minimal make-up on her face which she was relieved. The reason why she didn't like make-up was because people back in her high school and college days looked like clowns and geishas with the intensity of make-up they apply on their face, Cagalli could barely recognize them without any make-up on.

"Cagalli." Lacus snapped her out of her thoughts. "I think you should put your veil now."

"Okay." She answered nervously.

Lacus was fixing the veil on Cagalli's hair, and she felt how tense she was. "Relax Cagalli." She smiled at her. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks." Cagalli blushed. "You look pretty as well." Lacus' pink hair was also curled and she had little make-up on as well. She was also wearing a white gown, but was simpler than what she had. It had a tube neckline and there were no studded stones at all. Unlike her gown that touched the floor, Lacus' dress was only past her knees by an inch. Cagalli wanted her and her other bridesmaid to have longer gowns, but they insisted that Cagalli should only be the star on her special day.

"And also…" Cagalli started to say, "Thank you for also putting your time and effort on this Lacus, I couldn't thank you enough."

Lacus gave her a charming smile. "No problem Cagalli. After all, that's what sisters are for." She gave her a wink.

Cagalli laughed heartily. Of course, Lacus was her sister now. Well, technically, sister-in-law, since she married her brother back in June.

Of course she knew that was bound to happen one of these days. In fact, when Lacus told her the good news, she was not even surprised. She knew how the two of them loved each other immensely. Lacus was also the perfect girl for her brother. Lacus knew how to calm Kira down when he was extremely mad, how to convince Kira to change his mind even when he was already firm about certain matters and how she made her brother very happy.

"Good thing it was you." Cagalli giggled. "Imagine if Miriallia and Shiho were the ones who planned and arranged all of these…"

"Hey!" Shiho called out to the both of them. "I heard that!"

"You're mean Cagalli." Miriallia pretended to be hurt. "I'm leaving right now. Let's see how you like it without your maid of honor."

"I'm just kidding!" Cagalli hugged her auburn-haired friend. "I don't know what I'd do without my maid of horror!"

"Your maid of what?" Miriallia shot her a deadly look.

"I said, maid of honor." Cagalli winked.

"Cagalli totally meant that you were the maid of horror." Shiho insisted.

"No! I did not!"

The four of them were laughing after that. It was a good thing that they were there, or else Cagalli would be fainting right now because of too much nervousness. She barely even had any sleep last night, just thinking about their wedding next day. Her anticipation was too much to contain. She was also tense today, but it was a good thing that Miriallia, Lacus and Shiho were there to make her laugh and relief her tenseness.

The wedding planner then entered into the room. "Hey girls! Sorry to cut in, but we have to get into the car already!" She was pointing at her clock; Cagalli realized that they were behind their schedule.

"Well then," Lacus told all of them. "Shall we go?"

Cagalli nodded and the four of them walked to the car. Walking to the car was a very difficult task for Cagalli because she isn't used to wearing heels at all. She wore heels before during her graduation because they were required, but what she bought back then was only an inch high. Lacus picked for her a pair that was 4 inches tall. Cagalli took a good look at it when Lacus first presented it to her. "Can I even walk in these?" She gasped when she saw how high those were. Of course Miriallia and Shiho forced her into wearing those shoes. Looking at her three friends, she marveled at how they walked in theirs with finesse while she on the other hand looked the complete opposite. Having the heels on was killing her feet. If it was doing this to her feet right now, she couldn't even imagine walking around with these sharp objects for the rest of the day.

"Uhm guys." Cagalli called out to her friends.

"What is it?" Miriallia asked her as the three of them turned to look back at her.

"Not trying to be a killjoy or anything, but these shoes are really hurting my feet." She complained. "I'm not telling you this because I just don't want to wear it. But it really hurts. I can't walk the whole day with these on. I'm serious." She removed her feet from the shoes and revealed that her toes, especially her pinky toe, were already red.

"Do you have extra shoes?" Miriallia asked her. "I would trade with you but my feet are bigger than yours."

"Actually I don't." Cagalli shook her head no. "I brought slippers. I can't really wear slippers…"

"I brought shoes with me, but I'm afraid we don't have the same foot size." Lacus told her. "Sorry Cagalli. I should have got you a wearable pair instead."

"It's okay Lacus." Cagalli reassured Lacus, as she was starting to feel guilty for being that picked the shoes. The shoes looked amazing, but the pair was new, so it caused Cagalli

"Wait a sec." Shiho ran back to the room that they just came out of. Cagalli's eyes widened when she saw Shiho dashing back to the room with the heels on. How the heck was Shiho able to do that, while she was unable to even walk properly with the shoes on? Damn, her friends were experts.

Shiho came back with a pair of white shoes on her hands. "Here." She put the shoes down so Cagalli could wear them instead. The shoes were plain white flats, but with some scratches here and there. "It's a good thing that we have the same shoe size! These are the shoes that I brought with me a while ago, just in case."

"Thanks Shiho!" Cagalli gave her lifesaver a smile.

They got into the car as soon as that was settled. The car that they were going to ride going to the wedding venue was a limousine, much to Cagalli's surprise. But what surprised her the most, was when her friends told her that it was one of the Zala's car. It really didn't look like it was one of Athrun's cars. Maybe it was his parents' car.

Throughout the whole ride to the church, Cagalli remained quiet while her friends chatted about other things. This was it. There was no going back already. She looked at the window and saw the surroundings. It appeared to be the same as always. Tomorrow, the sun will still shine on the sky, the sky will remain blue, birds will continue flying, and trees will continue to be green. Things will not be the same for her then. Tomorrow she will be officially part of the Zala family.

She stared down at her finger. There wasn't any ring. She remembered returning it to Athrun a few days ago.

"_Athrun, open your left palm please." Cagalli told him to do so which he quickly obeyed. He did not even turn his head to ask why and continued to face the television. "Here." She said and stood up from the couch. Closing his palm, he felt something small, circular and cold in his hand. It couldn't be what he was thought it was, but when he brought it closer to his face, his first guess was true. _

_It was the ring that he gave to her when he proposed to her. This could only mean one thing… She was breaking off the engagement. His face became tainted with horror._

_No. _

_He felt like something was stuck in his throat. Why was this happening now? He had to ask her why she did it. "W-wait, Cagalli…"_

_She was already headed to their room, where Robert was soundly sleeping. "What?" He examined his face, it was very emotionless. Her expression made him even more nervous. _

"_Cagalli…" Athrun didn't know what he should ask her at that point. He was beyond shocked and had a lot more emotions in him at that moment._

_Cagalli sensed the weird and negative atmosphere surrounding the both of them. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked him after seeing the grief-stricken expression all over Athrun's face. She was supposed to go to bed, but then she couldn't, not with Athrun's stare._

"_Why?" Athrun asked her as well. He was desperate for an answer. It was so sudden that he never in his wildest dreams thought that she would do that. Heck, they were just making breakfast together a few hours ago! Cagalli even gave him a kiss on the cheek when they were walking in the park with Robert a while ago. They even held hands. Now, she was backing out of the wedding. What the hell just happened? He did not understand. "Why Cagalli?"_

"_Huh?" She gave him a puzzled look. It might be due to her sleepiness or the fact that she really had no idea what Athrun was talking about. "What do you mean 'why'?"_

"_Why are you calling off the wedding?" He asked her while grabbing her shoulders abruptly. His breath became rapid. She appeared surprised at what he did, but he needed her to answer. "Is something wrong? If there is, then we can talk about it Cagalli, not like this."_

"_Huh?" Cagalli said for the second time. What is this crazy guy talking about? "What the hell gave you the idea that I was going to do that?"_

_Athrun looked at her with his defeated eyes. His eyes was full of sorrow and she didn't know if he was really about to cry, which made Cagalli's heart melt. He took a deep breath before speaking. "If you aren't, then why are you returning the engagement ring, Cagalli?"_

"_Wha-" She was supposed to give him a whack on the head for thinking that but she then realized that the casual gesture of giving him the ring back gave him that kind of conclusion. In the movies that she watched before, girls return the rings to their fiancé when they don't want to get married anymore because they love someone else or for some other reason. It got her contemplating that she should have given it back to him with a warning so it didn't appear that way. Athrun got it all wrong. "Athrun, I'm not calling off the wedding, I'm actually giving it back so you can hand it to me again on the wedding day. Remember?"_

"_What?" It was now Athrun's turn to ask her that, but he still didn't loosen his hold on her, his face perplexed._

"_Well if I'm not going to give this ring back to you, then what will you give me during the wedding?" Cagalli told him, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't girls usually return the engagement rings days before the wedding?" The truth was, she had no idea how these engagement and wedding stuff go. She never got the chance to attend any weddings and the only reference that she had was those showed on the tv and movies wherein after the girl says yes to the proposal, the wedding comes right after._

_Relief came over Athrun. He let go of his hold on Cagalli and let himself drop to the floor. "That's good then."_

"_Hey!" Cagalli quickly sat down on the floor as well. "What's wro-" She was unable to finish what she wanted to say because Athrun pulled her into a tight hug. "H-hey." Cagalli's face was red right away. Athrun can be so unexpected at times, but she admitted that she loved being in Athrun's arms. His hugs make her feel comfortable and safe. She wrapped her hands around him as well. "Sorry if I made you think that way. I didn't mean it."_

"_It's okay. If you really wanted to cancel the wedding, I would have done any way possible to make you change your mind."_

_Cagalli blushed even more with what he said. "I should have returned the ring and told you why I was returning it in the first place."_

"_You're so silly." He sighed while burying his face in Cagalli's shoulders. Clueless Cagalli was so adorable. But at times like this, a clueless Cagalli might give him a heart attack. "Cagalli, there's a separate ring used for the wedding day."_

"_Whaaaat?" Cagalli was shocked with what Athrun said. Clearly she wasn't paying attention when Lacus was asking her to choose another ring. Although she wondered why there was still a need for a ring when Athrun already gave her one, she thought that she was only picking one for Athrun. So that explains why the pictures of the rings were pairs, one was more masculine and the other one appeared to be more feminine. Although she did make it explicit that she was choosing only for Athrun because she pointed directly at the masculine ring. "You mean I get to have two rings?"_

_Athrun nodded, while still hugging Cagalli._

"_That doesn't make any sense." She pouted. "Can we just use this ring? I know it's a tradition thing whatsoever but I really don't get the point of having two rings. I already have the one you gave me, then you're saying that I have to wear another one?"_

"_You do have a point."_

"_I do!" She insisted. "I think it's really not necessary to have two rings. I thought that Lacus was only making me choose your ring when she handed me a set of designs." She giggled. "But seriously Athrun, I don't really need a new wedding ring. Besides, I love the ring you gave me already." _

_He felt really good about himself. Cagalli loved the ring he chose himself. He had good taste. "You're right. I think we can still tell them that we don't need another ring for you."_

"_Yeah! Let's break the usual norms and just go with one!" She told him. "At least we can save by not spending on two rings."_

"_Alright." Athrun agreed. "We can call Lacus and tell her that."_

"_I'll do it." Cagalli volunteered. She was supposed to stand up but Athrun's hug was locking her down. "Hey, can you let me go for a minute so I can get my phone?"_

"_No." He said in a serious tone._

"_Why not?" Cagalli tried to break free but he was too strong. "Athrun! What's wrong with you? Let me get my phone!"_

"_For scaring the hell out of me, you are on cuddle duty with me tonight. You can't complain." He was really stern about it and refused to let her go. Athrun wanted to give himself a pat on the back for well-played and successful attempt to hug Cagalli. He was now carrying her like a sack and headed to their room._

"_You blackmailing perverted sex machine!" Her cheeks were tinted red but she still tried to break free from Athrun's hold. She tried to wiggle free and started to kick her legs. "I have to call Lacus! We have to tell her right now." _

_Athrun didn't really mind if Lacus already bought the second ring. If Cagalli already chose the design weeks ago, then telling her now wouldn't really help because they've already paid for it and now waiting to be picked-up. Sensing this as an opportunity to be her one and only "perverted sex machine", he gave her a deal. "You have to kiss me first to unlock my arms." He told her._

_Cagalli blushed even more. He always made her flustered effortlessly. She was kind of annoyed about that. It must really be his Zala charms. "You're really a pervert you know that!"_

_Athrun let her down near their room and pinned her against the wall. "You can call me "pervert" all you want, but I'm really not going to let you go." He was really serious about that. Cagalli was a tease sometimes, she always tried to avoid kissing him whenever she could. And because she kissed him this afternoon on the cheek, it made him yearn to kiss her even more. "Just one kiss Cagalli." His face and lips were so close that Cagalli's face might have exploded right then and there because her face was as red as a tomato. She tried to turn away to avoid him, but she had no escape. Using his finger, he gently turned her head to face him. "Just one." The moment her auburn eyes meet with his mesmerizing emerald ones, she felt like her heart was beating two hundred times per minute. His lips were millimeters in front of her, waiting for hers to be in contact with it._

"_Fine. Just one." Cagalli gave in. She looked down and avoided his gaze. She might just go crazy just being that close to him._

_Her heart was beating so fast that she couldn't control it anymore. She became more nervous as Athrun removed strands of hair from her face. She inhaled deeply when she felt that Athrun's face was getting nearer._

_He was about to kiss him, but then Robert started crying. Athrun was surprised with the sudden noise coming from Robert that it made him lose the killer grip he had on Cagalli. Of course, Cagalli saw that opportunity to escape from the pervert. She broke free from his touch and dashed to the door. She stopped midway from running and stuck her tongue out. "Hah! Looks like you're not winning this time! I have to thank Robert for that."_

"_Robert, bad timing." She heard Athrun sigh to himself. It made her laugh; they had a lot of time to do those things when they get married anyway. _

Yes they were. A few minutes from now, they'll have the whole lifetime to be together. How excited she was, and at the same time scared for what the future may bring. Entering into this kind of commitment is different from any other. It was really different from just committing herself to studying well when she was still in school, she could quit anytime she wanted if she got tired of studying. Much different than entering a contract with her clients and being obliged to do something, she could back down anytime she wanted. True, in marriage, they also make promises to each other, but it was something beyond what is written in paper. It's a lifetime promise to each other. Even though there was such a thing called "divorce", it still was unbreakable bond with her and Athrun. For Cagalli, having a divorce was destroying the true essence of a marriage, with some exceptions of course, but on most cases, it's a commitment that you are bound to be in, forever.

She kept on touching her left hand, where the ring that Athrun gave her used to be. Something felt really weird. While she was in the process of stroking her left ring finger, she kept expecting to make contact with something hard. Instead she kept touching her hand. At that moment, she somehow felt something missing without wearing it. She couldn't wait for Athrun to return it on her finger, like the time he gave it to her three months ago.

"_Thanks for taking me to dinner." Cagalli told his blue-haired companion as they drove away from the restaurant. "I feel like I ate way too much though!"_

"_You're always welcome. And yes, you did eat your heart out." Athrun held her hand for a few seconds before pulling away to touch the steering wheel. "It's a good thing Shiho was able to babysit Robert for us tonight." _

"_I promised to get treat her to that newly-opened milk tea place. You know, that "Vitalitea"[1] place near my shop." She said while checking her phone just in case Shiho tried to call her or texted her. It was a relief that she only got this message: 'Robert is so cuteeee! But he wasn't cute when he cried... Don't worry though, everything is fine! See you later and enjoy your date. :)'_

"_Do those things even taste good?" He asked Cagalli, who was currently replying to Shiho's text. Milk teas were really becoming a fad, a lot of people in his office were going to milk tea shops during their breaks. Yzak even told him that he was addicted to it._

"_I think it is! A lot of people are saying that milk teas are can be a substitute for coffee. It's not bitter like coffee, but it can keep you awake."_

"_We can try some next time." He continued to drive and the two of them were quiet after that._

_Cagalli kept looking at the window. She was feeling a bit sleepy now. Athrun and her are always on night duty, always attending to Robert in the wee hours of the night. It was lucky if he only cried twice, usually it would be four to five times. Of course, when Cagalli was awake, Athrun would also get up to help her in calming Robert down and making him go back to sleep. Because of this, the two are experts in sleeping lightly now. It also had some negative effect on Cagalli, because now, even the slightest sound of the wind rustling outside, the windows creaking, even the sheets, she would wake up and have a hard time going back to slumber land. Even if they were now doing shifts to make sure that each would have more time to sleep, Cagalli would still wake up anyway._

_It was a good thing that Aunt Leonore was also helping in looking after Robert when the both of them were at work. Cagalli was thinking of hiring a part-time nanny to look after Robert while she and Athrun were busy with work during the day. When Aunt Leonore volunteered, Cagalli was hesitant to agree because she knew how inconvenient it would be for her to look after Robert. But then Athrun's mom insisted that she be the one to take care of Robert while they were away during the day. She said it would be better if a family member looked after Robert, rather than some stranger. When Cagalli still wasn't agreeing to it, Leonore assured her that she really wasn't doing anything that was more important than looking after Robert. Athrun told her that it was true, since both of his parents were retired, all they do was travel, watch movies, travel, do gardening, eat out, travel some more. He also told her that at least they wouldn't worry too much because Robert was in good hands. Leonore and Patrick long yearned for Athrun to have his own kids so they could take care of them anyway._

"_Just a reminder mom." Athrun always reminded his mom before they left for work. "DON'T make Robert wear girly clothes okay?"_

_But unfortunately tonight Leonore and Patrick couldn't look after their baby because Leonore's best friend that was visiting for a few days invited them for dinner, Lacus was overseas, Miriallia was on a roadtrip with Dearka, Kira was currently in a conference. Just when all hope was lost, Shiho was there to the rescue. She volunteered herself because she had nothing to do. Athrun and Cagalli didn't know just how long Shiho was on vacation, but was glad that she was still here anyway. She imagined her friend waiting for them to get home, getting food from the fridge while she was at it._

_Cagalli then noticed that they weren't exactly heading home. In fact, they were actually headed to somewhere else._

"_Athrun, where are you planning to go?" She was now yawning. She really expected that they were to drive home already. Maybe this blue-haired pervert wants them to spend more time together, just the two of them. _

"_To get fresh air." As if it was the normal thing to do at this time of the night._

"_Fresh air?" Before she could even ask him some more, he already parked the car and was already turning off the engine. "But Robert's waiting for us with Shiho."_

"_It's okay. I think they can wait for a few more minutes." He smiled and got out of the car and hurried to open the door on Cagalli's side. "Besides," He pulled Cagalli out of the car. "We could really use a walk after the amount of food that we ate a while ago."_

_Cagalli felt embarrassed as she remembered what happened a while ago at the buffet house. She put a lot on her plate, and also came back for 2 more helpings. Yes, she needed that walk._

_Orb National Park was dark and deserted as compared to how it was usually like during the day. A lot of people would normally walk their dogs there, jog and play other sports. Groups of friends, couples, families, tourists, ice cream and other street food vendors would also be found there. It seemed impossible to find an empty bench, but tonight, it seemed like Athrun and Cagalli were the only ones there._

_The two of them walked around. Athrun was right, she really needed this walk. It relaxed her mind for a bit and her stomach didn't feel bloated as it had a few minutes ago. It was weird though, as Cagalli felt that Athrun was also unusually quiet. She was used to him trying to hold her hand or to put his arm around her shoulder, but he didn't. When she looked at him, he was actually looking the other way. Whatever could he be thinking about? She then tried talking to him about other things, he responded but she could still sense that he wasn't his normal and perverted self._

"_According to the news this morning," Athrun started to speak when they reached the bay. "…there will be a meteor shower tonight. This is a good view for us to see the meteor showe."_

"_Oh so that's why you wanted to get 'fresh air'." Cagalli emphasized the last two words. _

"_Well yeah." He smiled at her and looked at his watch. It was almost 9:30. The forecast told him that the meteor shower would happen at around 9:30 in the evening._

"_I've never seen a meteor shower before!" She told him. "There's always news about it occurring, but I never really went outside to see one."_

"_Why's that?" _

"_Well it always happens when I'm engrossed in something else: homework, watching the tv, reading a book, sleeping, out with friends. I guess it never really got my interest." _

"_Look." Athrun pointed to the sky. "It's here."_

_Cagalli looked up and finally saw her first meteor shower. She held her breath and watched as there was a number of them that simultaneously crossed the sky, then came another set of meteors followed by another. After all those years of not being able to see one, all she could say to herself was… All those wasted years! It was really beautiful! The sky seemed to sparkle as the meteors came by, the silver lines made the dark night sky glow. It was like the rain, but an elegant kind of rain. It was like the Christmas lights hung on the trees during the month of December, but a more radiant light. As the meteors disintegrated one by one, it looked like glitters in the sky. She never knew that meteor showers were these mesmerizing. So this was why a lot of people really stay up late sometimes, just so they can witness this kind of phenomenon._

"_It's beautiful!" Cagalli repeated that a lot of times in her head, but she also needed to say it out loud just to emphasize that it really was._

_As she continued to stare at the breathtaking view in front of her, she felt Athrun poking her. "What?" Based from her tone of voice, she seemed pretty annoyed that Athrun was disturbing her 'this-is-my-first-time-to-see-a-meteor-shower-and- I'm-enjoying-it' moment._

_When he wasn't talking even after she turned to look at him, she let him poke her again and again. She felt him gently lift her hand and put something cold around her left ring finger._

_Something that was thin and cold…_

_Could that be…?_

_That got her attention as she brought her left hand closer to her face. Her guess was right; Athrun just put a ring on her finger. A golden white ring with a big rhinestone, studded with small diamonds at the edge of the wing that looked like the tail of the rhinestone gem._

_But why was he giving her ring? _

"_A-athrun?" She completely forgot about the meteor shower that was just right in front of them. _

_Looking at Athrun, it was really a rare sight to see him looking flustered as well. Athrun was normally always so composed, always appearing confident and intimidating, but now, it was very different. She could see that his cheeks had the tint of red. Add to that, the fact that he seemed too embarrassed to even look at her as he was looking at away, his eyes fixed on a tree. Athrun was a man that fearlessly looked into the eyes of the other person that he was talking to, whether it was Kira, his clients and even Shinn. This was something that she was really shocked with._

_Does this mean that he was proposing to her? With his blushing expression, Cagalli had a hint that he maybe proposing to her. Well, if a guy gives you a ring instead of a necklace, bracelet or a pair of earrings, he was asking you to marry him right? But Athrun didn't really say that he was proposing or anything because it was a casual gesture of putting it on her finger. What if it was just a gift and she was over thinking things?_

_If Athrun was nervous, she was feeling the same thing as well. With Athrun not breaking the silence between the both of them, and her trying to figure what his gesture just meant. She decided to swallow her fear and just ask him already. "What is this for?"_

"_That's for uhh-" He cleared his throat. "That's actually an engagement ring."_

"_An engagement ring?!" She exclaimed and he nodded, feeling more embarrassed than ever. Of course she already had a hunch that it was an engagement ring, but hearing it from him still gave her a shock. At least now, she didn't have to worry what the ring meant._

_Wait a minute… The ring that Athrun gave her was an engagement ring._

"_Well, that is, if you want to…You know…" Athrun's voice trailed off. He really wasn't good in these kinds of situations. He got back to staring at the meteor shower. "…get engaged."_

_Cagalli could feel that her insides wanted to burst. Athrun just proposed to her. As she looked at him, his emerald eyes that continued to avoid her auburn ones, his face that was currently flushed and her heart that was beating faster by the second. She too, was speechless._

_She could see that Athrun's eyes gave her a quick look then returned to looking at the night sky, he also didn't know what to say._

_Her breathing became rapid now. It was still very difficult for her to process what just happened. The two of them were just having their dinner, they were supposed to drive home but then Athrun told her to go for a walk. Then the meteor shower happened, he put a ring in her finger and told her that it was an engagement ring. _

_From a normal dinner at the restaurant to the giving of the ring, how did all of that happen?_

_From a normal dinner to a state of being engaged?_

_Did he plan this all out from the start?_

_Did he really plan to propose to her?_

_Athrun noticed that Cagalli was now hyperventilating. In an instant, he forgot that he was feeling shy, nervous and embarrassed. "Cagalli are you okay?" He didn't know that this would be her reaction. Maybe he didn't plan it out perfectly, but now was not the time to analyze the glitches of his: "Operation: Proposal." Both of his hands were now on her shoulders and he shook him lightly to snap her out of her panicked state. "Cagalli? Cagalli ,just relax."_

_A few seconds passed, Cagalli seemed to have caught her breath. She was still breathing faster than normal, but at least it wasn't as rapid as it had been before he started to calm her down. _

"_You…" She finally let out._

"_I?" He tried to help her with her words._

"_You…" She repeated, and he waited patiently._

"_YOU JERK!" It was like a volcano just exploded abruptly. "THIS IS NOT HOW YOU GIVE A RING TO A GIRL!" [2] She managed to remove both of his hands off her shoulders and she crossed her arms and gave out a loud "hmph"_

_He could feel the deadly aura coming from Cagalli. She was flaring and it looked like she wanted to strangle him. He was confused and at the same time really scared of what Cagalli could do to him. "I'm sorry for disappointing you Cagalli." He carefully chose his words or else all hell might break loose. "Sorry it didn't seem like a proposal."_

"_Hell yes, it did not!" She exclaimed. "That was like a casual: 'oh you dropped your ring, let me put in back for you' kind of thing! Don't you watch romantic movies?"_

"_Not really…" He scratched the back of his head. He really should have prepared on how he should have given it to her. He remembered a movie about a guy taking out a box, opening it and knelt in front of his girl and said a load of cheesy stuff to make the girl shed tears of joy. It was his reference, but because he was too nervous, he forgot and slipped it on her finger._

"_Hmph." Cagalli was not satisfied at all. Demanding as it may seem, but she expected him to at least ask her the four-letter question._

_Her point still was not made clear to Athrun because he was still staring at her apologetically. She then realized that if she wanted him to propose properly, then she should try and help him do it. _

_Removing the beautiful ring on her left finger, she handed it back to Athrun. "If you don't give it properly, then sorry I won't accept it."_

_Athrun's mouth gaped open. He thought that giving it to her casually would solve his problem, but apparently it didn't. "But, but…"_

"_I mean it!" Cagalli turned her back on him. "Real men propose properly!"_

_She was right, real men do propose properly. He had to man up. He should be ashamed of himself because even men feel like chickening out with just the thought of it, swallow down their fears and do it for the girl that they love. Imagine the courage that some men had when they propose in public, propose in front of all the people important to them and to those who even plan it out properly to make sure that the one they love felt special. _

_He had to do it._

"_I'm waiting." Cagalli was tapping her feet, clearly becoming impatient. "Thirty seconds left or else you lose your chance!"_

"_Cagalli." She felt him clear his throat and compose his thoughts, and she turned to face him. Athrun held both of her hands, looked at her straight in the eye and started to speak. "I'm really sorry about what happened earlier, I was actually planning today with Dearka and Yzak. We decided that this would be the best time to propose because of the romantic setting. I also really planned to give you the ring like how real men do it, but when we arrived here, I was really nervous. I think you could tell by just the how strange I was acting. Because of that, my mind went blank and ended up slipping it into your finger as fast as I could." _

_She just nodded, urging for him to continue._

"_The truth is, since that moment I met you on that bar, I knew somehow that things wouldn't be the same anymore. There was something about you that really intrigued me. Heck I just broke up that time but when I was with you, it didn't matter. All I wanted was to talk to you longer to get to know you better. That night, you already captivated me. Sadness overcame me when you left me the next morning, knowing that the chances of meeting you again were very slim. You have no idea how overjoyed I was when we ran into each other. When I found out that you were pregnant, I was worried that you would try at all costs to avoid me from then on, but you didn't. Never did I feel any sort of regret about what happened between us that night, rather, I was very grateful for it. Never will I trade it for anything in this world. If it wasn't because of that, I wouldn't be so happy and in love with an amazing and beautiful woman right now. Thank you for making me realize than life isn't as absurd and pointless as I thought it was. Thank you for every moment that we spent together that made me appreciate everything in this world. Thank you for making every single day something that I always look forward to and face with a smile. With every little thing that you do, you manage to make me so happy and it's crazy. I understand now that even though that even with all the riches in this world, my life won't be complete without you. I want to spend every waking moment with you from now on, with our little angel. I want to be the person who listens to every single thing that is on your mind. I want to be the person who will wipe away your tears and protect you from people trying to hurt you. I want to be the person whom you'll spend all your happy memories with. Even though you may have your mood swings and your cute little habits, I don't want to spend it in any other way. With you forever, is something that I know l want in my life. I want to be with you and Robert forever."_

_Cagalli's eyes were wide open as Athrun told her every single thing that what on his mind. She didn't know now what she should say. She wanted to cry because she was so moved by what he had said. It was way better than what she had been seeing in romantic movies. Athrun beat all of it. She felt the same way. Even if there were times that she felt like she regretted that one night stand with Athrun, looking back, it was all worth it. He was such a wonderful person. He was very gentle to her, very kind and caring. He always took care of her unconditionally and he too always made her happy. He might be perverted, but that only adds to his charm. She loved him and couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life with any other person._

_He knelt down in front of her and presented her the ring. "Cagalli, will you give me the honor of changing your last name from Hibiki to Zala?"_

_She knew it wasn't the conventional four-letter word question, but it was way romantic anyway. _

"_Yes, I'll change my last name to Zala."_

"We're here!" Miriallia's voice snapped her out of her reverie. "You ready Cagalli?"

She smiled at her friend. "More than ever."

-o0o-

"Hmph. You win this time, Mister Number One." Kira scowled at the groom as soon as they reach the altar. "I told my sister to back down, but I guess she doesn't really want to."

Athrun laughed. Even at the wedding day, Mister Number Three was still acting so childish. "Of course she wouldn't. I guess we'll be brothers then."

Kira's face was filled with horror, which added to his amusement. "No way am I accepting you as my brother!"

"You have no choice." Athrun grinned.

Cagalli was sensing another heated argument between the two and she could not believe that they were at it again. It was the wedding day for crying out loud! At least, even just for this day, they should stop their bickering. "Uhm Kira, I think you can go and leave me now so we can start the ceremony. Lacus is waiting with Robert in your seat."

Kira didn't want to but the glare on his sister's eyes was enough to make him feel that she would rip his heart out if he didn't give it a break. "Alright." He gave her a light hug. "But if it's not too late to change your mind." He joked.

She just laughed when he said that, but shrugged him to leave already. She knew that he was supportive of the relationship that she and Athrun had, he just didn't show it very well. If he were really against Athrun, then he might have started to launch missiles just so he could sabotage the wedding.

Athrun held her hand and gave her a gentle smile. "Let's do this."

She nodded and together they walked to the altar.

-o0o-

The reception in the Zala mansion went on after the simple wedding ceremony. A lot of the guests who attended the marriage ritual also stayed for the dinner to be able to catch up with the both of them even just for a bit. A lot of them were surprised about the sudden wedding of the groom and bride. A number of the guests were astounded because they initially thought that the two of them were dating someone else. A lot of Cagalli's friends and relatives thought that she and Shinn were still going strong. Athrun's relatives, on the other hand, thought that he was already engaged with Meyrin. Some even thought that he was still a bachelor. So it was a surprise for them that they suddenly got invites that Athrun and Cagalli were going to get married with another partner that they did not hear of.

Cagalli sure was happy that she decided to wear Shiho's flat's instead of those killer heels. With the length of her dress, it was impossible to notice that she was wearing flats anyway. If she decided to brave the whole day wearing those, her feet might just give up on her. Imagine walking on the altar, staying there for a long time, then cocktail hour came. She couldn't really sit down because a lot of people kept approaching her and Athrun, asking them a lot of questions with regards to what their future plans are. She imagined that if she were still wearing her heels, she would have difficulty in smiling for the camera.

"Cagalli!" Lacus tapped her shoulder. "The announcement of the wedding party will happen in a few minutes, so let's get ready." She smiled at her and rushed to inform the bridesmaids and groomsmen as well. Pretty soon, they were entering again the reception area along with their closest friends and family. Robert was also part of the walk, now with Athrun and Cagalli as they went inside the area.

Pretty soon it was time for the first dance of the bride and groom. Cagalli, feeling very anxious as she wasn't an expert in dancing, walked with Athrun to the center of the reception area. They danced to the song "Akatsuki no Kuruma"[3].

"Don't be nervous." Athrun told her as he danced smoothly to the music. "We've practiced this a lot during the rehearsals, remember?"

"Yeah I know." She nodded. Leonore and Patrick were so kind to practice with them until the fact that Cagalli was a bad dancer was concealed. "It's just that, there are a lot of people watching so it's really nerve-wrecking for me right now."

"You don't have to worry about all of them." He comforted her. "It's normal to look at the most beautiful girl in the room right?"

What he said made Cagalli forget all about the fact that there were a lot of people in the room watching them. "You're still such a flatterer, you know that."

"Even if what I'm telling you is the truth, you'd still say that anyway." Athrun sighed, pretending to look defeated.

"It's because it seems like you're really messing with me you know."

"Not."

"Yes."

"Not."

Surprisingly, the dance went on smoothly as Cagalli momentarily forgot all about the guests and danced with Athrun normally. After the dance, the toast followed right after. It was really amusing for the both of them because it was Dearka making the toast, and knowing him, he would say something out of the ordinary. They were not disappointed with that.

"As Athrun's best friend, of course along with Yzak, I'm really happy that the two of them found each other. With Cagalli, I've seen a different side to Athrun. We sometimes caught him smiling just out of the blue, and we could tell that it was because Cagalli was on his mind. Cagalli, thank you for letting everyone see Athrun's soft side. I won't keep this speech long so; let me give my wishes to the both of them. Here's to the groom, may you always share every happiness and hardship with your wife, which includes the household chores. Here's to the bride, may you always be patient with Athrun and avoid strangling him when he says something that's perverted. Here's to the both of you, make you have more grandchildren to come so as you can make Aunt Leonore and Uncle Patrick happy! Cheers to the bride and groom!"

Soon after, the cake-cutting commenced along with more dancing. Athrun was starting to feel weary of the wedding party all of the sudden. He had to admit that he was having a lot of fun because he got to meet with friends and family that he has not seen for a long time, and that Lacus did a good job of organizing the party and the program flow. But it has been weeks since he had an alone time with Cagalli. He was always busy with work, Robert and the wedding preparations. They absolutely had no time together and he couldn't wait for their honeymoon already.

Time passed quickly after that. Cagalli tossed the bouquet and Lacus caught it. Kira caught the garter which Athrun threw to the men, which he interpreted as a sign that they should also get married so that Kira would stop bugging the two of them. Finally, it came to the last dance and it was time for them to head to their honeymoon place.

"I feel really bad." Cagalli told Leonore as she held the sleeping Robert in her hands. "I'm not sure whether we should bother you with looking after Robert."

"Nonsense dear!" Leonore tried to discourage her from bringing Robert to their honeymoon. "You two should have the right to spend time just the two of you since it's your honeymoon."

"I know that, but I feel like we barely spent time with Robert for the past few days because we've been so busy with the preparations, and now we'll be going away for a week..." Her voice trailed off and she seemed really confused at the moment. Of course she wanted to spend time with Athrun, but she also wanted to be with Robert. She looked at her son's peaceful face as he slept in her arms. She couldn't just leave him that long. It was a dilemma. She had to choose between two men. "I mean, I could go a day with you watching over Robert, but for a week? I'm not really sure."

"Well dear," Patrick also tried to talk her out of it. "It's just a week. Besides, if Robert was there with you, I doubt that you two could spend time together."

"Do you really want to bring Robert?" Athrun asked her. It was okay for him if Robert were to come along with them; he would feel guilty leaving him behind as well. "I guess there's no harm in bringing him. After all, babies are supposed to come after the wedding. In our case, the baby came before the wedding."

"Actually," Cagalli also tried to reason out with them. "Me and Athrun always do shifts on who gets to get up from the bed and check Robert when he's crying. Plus, since we're going to beach for vacation, he'd have fun there as well!"

Athrun further suggested. "We could bring a nanny?"

"If you brought a nanny, then why not just let us come with you?" Patrick told him.

Both Athrun and Cagalli's eyes widened in surprise with what Patrick had said. There was no way it would be considered a honeymoon if the two of them also tagged along.

"

"I don't think it's still a good idea for him to come." Leonore was hesitant to let Robert tag along the newlyweds. "Cagalli honey, this might be the only time you and Athrun get to spend time together, because when you give us more grandchildren, I doubt that you two would still have your alone time."

"But…" She still didn't want to go without him.

"Honey, I know what you feel." Leonore comforted her. "When Athrun was still an infant, I always wanted to spend every moment with him. I even preferred that I sleep beside Athrun rather than Patrick. But you know, I still believe that you and Athrun should continue on with your honeymoon together. We'll always skype with you every morning, afternoon and evening so you'll still get to see him each day."

"Don't you two trust that we'll take care of Robert?" Patrick was trying to make the both of them feel guilty that they were hesitating to leave Robert with them.

"Of course not!" Cagalli was now stammering. She didn't mean it that way! Now she was making Athrun's parents feel bad. "But, but…"

"Then off you go then! You'll miss your flight if you don't hurry up!" Patrick bid them goodbye while taking Robert from Cagalli's arms. "Don't worry about Robert, he'll be in good hands!"

"Bye guys!" Miriallia, Shiho, Lacus, Dearka, Kira and Yzak waved to them. "See you after one week!"

"Can't wait for another grandchild!" Leonore also bid them farewell. "Robert can't wait to be an older brother!"

-o0o-

Rough landing. Her eyes jolted open when the aircraft trembled as it landed to their destination. She looked to her right and saw Athrun looking at the window. She also peered into the window and saw the difference in scenery. There were mountains and trees; green everywhere. There were no tall buildings in the vicinity, like the ones that were in Orb.

Athrun now noticed that her princess was awake from her deep slumber. "Hey. Did you have a good rest?" She felt him kiss her forehead.

"I did." She stretched her back and yawned. "Although I was quite shocked by the landing. I thought we crashed or something." She had to admit, it frightened her. But it was a good thing that they were all safe.

"It's really is difficult to land here. The runway's pretty short and the pilot's new to the job since our old one resigned." He told her while unfastening his seatbelt. She also did the same when the engine stopped.

Cagalli still couldn't believe how rich the Zala family is. They have their own private jet that they rode from Orb to their destination. It wasn't just one jet; they had three, for each of them. They also had a yacht, submarine, helicopter, limousine and rv. They had a mansion, a house in the States, Europe, Asia, rest houses, hotels, buildings, companies, and agricultural land. It wouldn't surprise her if they had a golden mine. But what really stupefied her was that their honeymoon location was on their private island. How much does a person even pay to own an island? Does this family have a hundred feet deep swimming pool with money in it?

"Tell me Athrun, do you own a country?" Cagalli asked him as they got off the jet. "Or a whole continent maybe?"

"Of course not." He chuckled at how silly her questions were. "But we do own four asteroids in the asteroid belt."

"Really?" Cagalli was astonished even more at how innumerable and diverse their assets were.

"Just kidding!" Athrun stuck his tongue out.

"I hate you." She scowled at him for teasing her again.

"Of course you don't." He winked at her, which made her blush. He was right. She doesn't. She was very much head over heels for him.

"What about a space station?" Cagalli asked again.

Athrun carried their suitcases and walked towards the rest house. "We do. Dad had one made to support the Zodiac Alliance Space Institute [4] in their research."

"Your dad really invests in a lot of stuff, huh?"

"He does! It's mostly to help other people out, excluding the jets, limousines that are his guilty pleasures. I guess it's also a way of giving back to the people in need. He would have schools that provide free education to the poor, hospitals for them as well and our group of companies to provide employment. Although other people are left in charge to manage the schools, hospitals, agricultural lands, hotels, space station, it's still under our name. Some, like ZAFT, are left for me to run."

"Wow." Their family was amazing. They were rich, and yet, they weren't the type to keep all their riches to themselves, but rather it was to help other people out. It also astounded her that Athrun could still manage to have time to take breaks from work and spend time with her and Robert.

"We're here!" He announced when they reached the rest house, that was as almost as big as their mansion back in Orb.

It was one whole week, just the two of them on this island.

-o0o-

"Aww. You're so cute baby!" Cagalli was making weird faces at the laptop screen. "Mommy misses you so much!" They were currently skyping with Robert, who was a thousand miles away from the both of them. They were sitting on the bed and the laptop was resting on two pillows stacked together. Robert, on the other hand, was back in the Zala mansion and was in Leonore's arms; his emerald eyes were wide open in astonishment during the video call.

Athrun was also waving at the webcam. He was amused by the look on Robert's face. It was like he knew that his parent's were in front of him, but they were in a box.

Leonore cut in their family time. "Cagalli, we'll give Robert a bath now and put him to nap! You can talk to him later in the evening! That's tomorrow morning there in the island with the time difference!"

Cagalli was saddened by the fact that call was coming to an end. She had to wait until tomorrow to see her baby again. "Okay, bye bye baby! I love you! See you soon!"

"Bye Robert!" Athrun waved again.

"Say 'bye' to your mommy and daddy!" Leonore was gently moving Robert's hand as if he was waving back to them.

"Ba!" Robert cooed, making all of them shocked.

"Did you hear that Athrun?" Cagalli was so excited that she almost strangled Athrun. "Robert's first word! I can't believe this!"

He too was excited because this was like a milestone for the both of them, but felt like he'll be out of breath if Cagalli didn't stop pulling at his neck.

"Ba!" He said again, which made her even more excited.

"Aww baby is bye bye to his mommy and daddy!" Leonore was also feeling thrilled because Robert finally talked.

She finally let go of Athrun and Robert started to yawn. It was like there was a sudden mood swing because he started to cry.

"Oh no, I think he's getting cranky!" Leonore told the both of them. "I need to give him a bath! You two just go have fun on your honeymoon! I want another grandchild when you two get back! A girl perhaps! But if you two give me a boy, then it's okay too!" Seconds later, the video call ended and Athrun closed the laptop shut and placed it on the table beside their bed. "Cagalli! Don't be sad!" He gave his wife a hug.

"Can you believe it? His first word, and we weren't there with him."

"It's okay Cagalli, at least we got to witness it in the video call." He tried to cheer her up because ever since they got on the island, he knew that she missed Robert terribly.

"I know but…" Her face really reflected how low-spirited she was. "I miss him already."

"We can video call him tomorrow, don't worry!"

She sighed. "I can't wait to go back home."

Why did he have a feeling that Cagalli was half-hearted to go on their honeymoon?

"It'll just be a week, then we get to see him again."

"You're right." She agreed, while still looking gloomy. "But, a week… It's seems like such a long time."

"It's a week with me!" He tried to make her lighten up. "Aren't you happy that you get to spend a week alone with your husband?"

"I guess…" Her voice trailed off, and she somewhat looked very unsure that she would enjoy the week without Robert in her sight.

_You guess?_

So she didn't really want to spend the honeymoon with him…

He was starting to feel like he was now Mister Number Two.

Mister Number Two…

NUMBER TWO?

"Oh… I see…" Athrun let go of the hug and laid down the bed, his back facing her.

"You see what?" She was surprised that Athrun removed his arms around her.

"Oh nothing." She could sense the disappointment in his voice.

"What is it?" She was shaking his arms. "Tell me!"

"Never mind." He closed his eyes. Cagalli could not believe it! He was starting to sleep already.

She shook his arms with greater force. "What's the matter with you? You were just fine a while ago."

"Maybe it's because I'm sleepy already."

"No it isn't."

"Good night. See you tomorrow."

"What? Wait! No! What is it?" She was completely clueless as to why he was acting this way.

"You really want to know?" He opened one of his eyes and saw Cagalli peering over him, nodding at that.

"I'm starting to get jealous you know. Your mind is full of Robert. Even if you're with me on our honeymoon, you still think of Robert. You even implied that you're not happy to have this honeymoon with me."

So this was what it was all about.

"Athrun, I didn't mean to make you feel that way." She panicked. Athrun really seemed offended.

"Why don't you just have the jet take you back home now? I'll call the driver and ask him to take you back to Orb." He got up and reached to take his phone.

She grabbed his phone and hid it behind her. "Don't be like that!" Now it was the other way around, she was the one trying to comfort him. She felt bad that she made him feel that way. "I'm really sorry if it appeared like that! I'm sorry!"

"It's okay." He gave her a defeated smile and his hand gestured that he wanted his phone back. "Let me call the driver."

"No Athrun!" She was trying to hide the phone from his view. "No!"

"Cagalli, it's okay…" He told her. "I'll be with you guys soon after."

"What? You're crazy! You want to spend our honeymoon by yourself?"

"Well you didn't really want to go anyway… Not without Robert." He groaned.

"No Athrun, I'm sorry!" She enclosed him into a hug. "No, I don't want to go back just yet!"

He couldn't believe that his tactic, the guilt trip, was working. "

Can't believe that my greatest competition is my son." He pretended to act hurt and neglected.

"Don't be a green-eyed monster Athrun! Don't be insecure of Robert!"

"How can I?" He pouted. "Robert's your number one now."

Cagalli tried to cheer him up. "Don't be like that! You can share the number one spot with him!" Of course now that Robert was born, he and Robert occupied the number one spot on her heart.

"Really?" He drew his face away from hers to get a good look of Cagalli.

"Yup!" She assured her.

He caught her by surprise because the next thing Cagalli knew, Athrun was already on top of her, trapping her by pinning both of her hands to the sides. It happened so fast. It was like a predator suddenly attacked her. At that moment, she swore that he looked like a possessive lover.

What a sudden change of mood.

"Athrun!" She felt her face become hot all of a sudden. "What are you doing?!"

He looked really serious as he fixed his gaze on her, examining her flustered face. "Since I have to share with him on the number one spot, I think I have to just take advantage of the time that I have with you until tomorrow morning." He leaned closer to her ear and whispered. "Besides, it's our honeymoon remember?"

His breath tickled her ear and it made her burn up even more. "Athrun! You're really such a pervert! Pervert!" Her heart was now beating faster than ever. There was something about him right now that told her that she wasn't making perverted jokes this time.

"Cagalli…" He whispered again, but this time, he brought his face closer to hers. She could feel his hot breath. His voice was so sexually arousing at that point. She couldn't do anything, but be swayed by the alluring look of his eyes. "Just this one night, even just this once…" He tangled his left hand with her right and brushed some strands of blonde hair from her reddened face with his right hand. "…think of only me."

"Cagalli, only me."

She could only nod as a response to his request. The urge to slap her cheeks was there because she was like a helpless puppy, following her master's orders. She wanted to call him pervert, to escape from this position or to whack him in the head but she didn't move or say a word. She did not tear her eyes away from him. He dazzled her so much and she was lost in those captivating emerald eyes. Those eyes seemed to have cast a spell, one that she could not escape even if she tried. She felt extremely overpowered by him. It was like she was chained and had no choice. But she did not protest, she let him get have control. Like a dog, she became submissive. Slowly, she felt the wave of excitement encapsulating every part of her body.

"_Only you."_ She repeated his words silently. She wondered if she was now under his spell because she sure felt that he somehow hypnotized her. But right now, it was okay to be hypnotized. It was all right to be under his influence.

Her breathing became calmer. Her heartbeats returned to normal. There were no feelings of tenseness anymore. She relaxed under his gaze. They stayed in that position for a long time, staring at each other lovingly. They did not rush to remove each other's clothes off unlike the first time they met. There was no need to hurry things now.

He finally kissed her after a long while. It was gentle yet it was filled with so much passion. It was slow but she could sense his longing for her in every brush of his lips to hers. The room was cold but she could feel her body heating up.

Their entangled hands never lost contact with each other, even when their tongues explored each other's mouth. Athrun's free hand lightly stroked her exposed flesh, from her face to her shoulders, marveled at how smooth her skin was. He caressed the skin that was covered with her nightdress. She quivered at his every touch, but did not attempt to stop him. His hands on her flesh sent a tingle down to her spine. She held on to his shirt, grasping it rather, like it was a lifeline. In between their kisses, she let out a shameless moan. He paused for a moment to examine her, she was out of breath and her face was so red. He gave her a moment to catch her breath by moving to her neck. She could feel his mouth everywhere on her neck. Down, up, sideways, up again, down her shoulders. It was tantalizing, his every move on her. Cagalli could only sigh in pleasure while tightening the hold she had on his shirt. His lips finally stopped brushing her neck and came back to own her mouth, which she welcomed without reluctance.

One by one, their clothes fell to the floor. It was not uncomfortable for them to be bare in each other's eyes, as they have seen each other's nude state before. Their hands and lips explored whatever they could in each other's body. The sensitive and even those unusual parts of their body, they have already stroked, fondled, kissed and caressed. They were sweating, but they didn't seem to care less. Low, long and loud sounds expressing their pleasure were let out as they continued on with their lovemaking. [5]

It went on for a long time. They reached the point of exhausting their bodies, leaving both of them breathless and unable to go on any further. Athrun enveloped their bare selves with the blanket and pulled Cagalli closer to him. They snuggled real close, entangling each other's body together. They had one last chaste kiss before sleep overcame them.

The sun was starting to rise.

-o0o-

"Good morning! Finally, you're awake! I made us breakfast!" Cagalli greeted Athrun when she noticed him enter the kitchen. His hair was still disheveled and it looked like he still was pretty sleepy. She set the food that she just cooked down the table and motioned for him to sit down and have breakfast with her.

His wife cooking them up breakfast, what a joy, it made mornings so exciting to wake up to. "Good afternoon." He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. The clock that he passed by when he walked down to the kitchen read that it was already two in the afternoon.

"Really?" Cagalli looked for the nearest watch. She could not believe that it got so late already. So that was why mom Leonore wasn't online in skype anymore, she figured that it was way past midnight back in Orb. Well, it was their fault for staying up so late, for doing what they were doing… She blushed at the memory of what done last night and tried to distract herself before Athrun notices. "Brunch! Let's eat our super late brunch!"

Athrun sat down the wooden table and looked at what was on his plate. It was a good thing that Cagalli already prepared breakfast because he was feeling really hungry because he released so much energy just a few hours earlier. He looked at what was on his plate and pancakes, eggs and something that he could not recognize. "Are these dead branches?" He finally asked Cagalli after he stopped trying to figure out what it was.

"Dead branches?" Cagalli stared at him, confusion evident in her face. "What branches are you taking about?"

"These." He held the branch-like material that was on his plate. "They look like dead branches."

"What do you mean dead branches?" Cagalli slammed her eyes at the table and looked at the sluggish guy seated in front of her. "That is a bacon!"

"Ohh I see." He focused more on what he was holding. So it was bacon after all. It didn't appear to be a piece of bacon at all. Instead of it being red, it was black. Most probably because Cagalli overcooked it to a great extent because now it just looked like a piece of wood scraped from a tree.

Cagalli realizing what see had done, gaped in horror. Maybe she overdid the toasting of the bacon. Now it was full of carcinogens. "Give those back, I'll make a new batch."

But she was too late because Athrun was already put a piece in his mouth. "Mmm," She heard him chew the bacon he initially thought were branches. "Crunchy."

"Hey! Don't eat those you stupid sex-machine!" Cagalli grabbed his plate that was full of inedible and overcooked bacon. "Okay fine, these do look like dead branches, so let me cook again."

"You know what, we can cook it together." Athrun chuckled when he saw Cagalli freaking out.

"No! Let me do it!" Cagalli was opening a new pack of raw meat.

He easily got the pack out of her hands and tried to convince her. "You should really let me help you do it, because if you overcook it again, it'll go to waste."

"You have a point." Cagalli gave in and let Athrun get the equipment for cooking.

"Besides, this is what married couple do, right?" He winked at her, making her cheeks have a tint of red.

-o0o-

Robert was nearing his first birthday, and as such, he was starting to stand up and could walk with Athrun or Cagalli's assistance. Today, the couple was attempting to document his first steps without them holding him.

"Okay Athrun, when I count to three, you let him go. Got it?" Cagalli was kneeling four feet away from Athrun and Robert. He was holding the energetic Robert in his hands.

"1, 2, 3. Go!" With that, Athrun let go of Robert. He was standing perfectly without his assistance. Cagalli was on the other side, trying to catch his attention so he could walk towards her. "Come her baby! Go and walk to Mommy!"

Robert was not moving from his where he was standing. He looked at his mom, but also looked at his surroundings. When he was starting to walk to the other direction, Cagalli called out to him. "Baby! Go here!"

"Go to mommy!" Athrun told him when he looked back at him. "Go on!"

When he still wasn't responding to her calls. She got a rattle and shook it rapidly. "See baby, mommy's got your toy!"

Robert took one step forward, which made the both of them thrilled.

He took another.

Athrun gulped, if he called out to him, Robert might become distracted. He was almost there.

Robert was now losing his balance, and Cagalli was starting to panic. "Oh no! Robert, go go!"

With 7 quick steps, Robert finally fell into Cagalli's arms.

"Yay!" Cagalli carried Robert and stood up. "His first few steps without us holding him, and we got it on tape!" She walked to where the video camera was to review the video.

No memory card. That was what the video camera displayed when she clicked the preview button.

"Athrun!" She shouted at him. "You didn't put the memory card back!" She felt so frustrated because she put so much effort into trying to get Robert walk to her.

"Oops…" He gulped nervously.

"Now we have to take the video again!"

-o0o-

"I can't believe it's Robert's first day of school today." Athrun told Cagalli as they drove away from the kindergarten. "It seemed like yesterday when he was still an infant. Or back when he was still in your womb."

"Speaking of wombs…" Cagalli was starting to speak but was hesitant.

"Hn?" Athrun urged her to continue.

"I'm pregnant again…"

The car came into an immediate halt. "WHAT?" Athrun's eyes were wide open and he looked at her to see whether she was joking or not. But apparently, she wasn't.

"Are you planning to kill all of us?" Cagalli was freaking out when Athrun abruptly stepped on the breaks. It was a good thing that she was wearing her seatbelt. She could hear honks of cars behind theirs.

"I'm sorry but…" Athrun started to drive again. "You surprised me."

"Yeah sorry about that. Meant to tell you last night when I found out it was positive, but you were asleep!"

He was examining Athrun's face. She noticed that he seemed disappointed. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing really. It's just that…"

"Just what?"

"No sex for a few months…"

"YOU PERVERT!"

-o0o-

"Mommy! Daddy!" A 9-year old Robert called out as he opened the door. "Uncle Kira, Aunt Lacus and Ella are here!"

"Hello Robert!" Kira gave him a pat on the head, ruffling his blonde hair, while Lacus gave him a light hug. "Oh my, you've gotten taller since the last time I saw you!"

"I've been drinking milk every night!" Robert beamed with pride.

"That's good to hear! You might catch up to me in no time!" Kira gave him a 'thumbs up'. "Where's your mom by the way?"

"Mommy's in the kitchen preparing food with Aunt Miriallia and Aunt Shiho." Robert pointed to the direction of their kitchen before dashing back to the playroom because he and the twins, Miriallia and Dearka's sons, were playing video games.

"I'll help them." Lacus handed Kira her bag. "You should go to where Athrun and the others are to have a chat." With that she went to where the women were.

Kira went to the living room and was greeted by his forever rival, Mister Number One. "You're late!" Athrun scolded Kira and let out a 'tsk tsk' when he put Lacus' bag down on one of the couches. "One hour late…"

"It wasn't my fault! Lacus was taking too long to finish dressing up!" He was embarrassed because he would always try to annoy Athrun when he was the one late during their gatherings. He also greeted and Yzak, whose eyes tore away from the television screen the moment he arrived at the living room. "Becoming impatient now?"

"Hello Ella!" Athrun completely ignored Kira's remark, which irritated him, and leaned down to greet Kira and Lacus' daughter. She was only four years old but she really looked like Lacus', pink hair and blue eyes. "Macy has been waiting for you."

"Ella!" Macy, Athrun and Cagalli's 5-year old daughter, came running to the living room and gave Ella a tight hug. She got her hair from Athrun and her eyes from Cagalli. "I thought you wouldn't show up! I was worried because I don't have a playmate with the new dolls mommy and daddy bought me!"

"I bought dolls with me too!" Ella jumped for joy and showed her the backpack she was wearing. "Let's play!"

"Come on!" Macy was now holding Ella's arms and was supposed to rush to her room but Kira stopped her. He cleared his throat. "Ehem, aren't you forgetting something Macy?"

Macy thought about it for a few seconds before remembering why he had done that. "Hello Uncle Kira." He felt her gave him a hurried kiss on the cheek, before he knew it, she was already dragging Ella to her room. "Hurry! Let's play!"

"Hey." Kira tapped Yzak on the back. "Is your baby a boy or a girl?" Shiho and Yzak, despite their frequent petty fights, officially were dating each other after Cagalli and Athrun's wedding. Shiho told her friends that they started to become less hostile to one another after they spent time together, mourning about the fact that they're single with each other when Kira and Lacus, Athrun and Cagalli, Dearka and Miriallia went on dates. They still tease each other though.

"It's a boy." Yzak told him. "We had a check-up last week."

Miriallia entered the room and called all of them. "Time to eat!" She then went to call the other kids as well.

"Isn't it fun to have random get-togethers like these?" Cagalli told them as everyone went to the living room and sat on their chairs.

-o0o-

A/N: Tadaaa! Sorry if the chapter was too long. Since it's my last, I decided to make it longer. I put snippets of what happened in Athrun and Cagalli's life after they got married. Hope I made the right choice and did not end up making you guys bored. I was thinking of adding more scenes, but then now I'm considering making a new chapter for that. So officially, this is the last chapter (If I don't get lazy to add a new one)

*drum roll*

TADAAAAAAA!

Thank you all for taking the time to read my fic! :) Thank you to the reviewers who inspired me to continue the story. Thank you for being part of the fic by suggesting a lot of things that I ended up using for IJH. Thank you for withstanding the grammatical and typographical errors because I'm too lazy to proofread. Thank you for those who have been reading this since November of 2010, until today, April 2013. You guys are so patient and awesome! I would have mentioned everyone who reviewed, but there is just too many of you! To be honest, I didn't actually expect that a lot of people would like my story. It shocked me that a lot of people were reviewing, marking it as their favorite, and even to the point of sending me messages in ffnet or facebook to ask me when my next update with me.

I'm very happy that I've made something a fiction that a lot of you liked. I hope this fic reminded you guys that AsuCaga is the best love team ever, and we must all petition for Fukuda to make it that way. Haha. I'm kidding. It's been a fun ride! I'm planning to write again, I hope you support it too!

Xoxo

eternalasucaga

P.S. I'm part of the facebook group 'AsuCaga Forever'. It's a group for all the AsuCaga fans out there. Plus you get to meet the authors of the other great AsuCaga fics here in ffnet. :)

Additional Notes:

[1] I just made the name up.

[2] Found it cute to relive that line. Haha.

[3] I know it's not a wedding reception material, but I really wanted to incorporate that song somewhere in this fiction.

[4] I was supposed to name it ZAFT, but then I remember that it was Athrun's company.

[5] This still counts as a T right? I made it super brief and avoided to put so much detail. And please forgive me if it seemed too amateurish, it's my first time.


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